Australia's energy minister has accused the coalition of being unpatriotic, as he defended taxpayer-funded travel and staffing costs for a major climate conference.
Chris Bowen is due to spend more than $150 million on the United Nations' 31st Conference of the Parties meeting, known as COP31, in his role as president of negotiations.
While Australia is not hosting the annual summit, it is chairing the talks with Pacific nations as part of a diplomatic compromise with Turkey struck in 2025.
