$500,000 to be spent on hot air

Despite worsening global economic conditions, the Gillard Government has increased its delegation to this year's UN meeting, in Durban, by 20 per cent to 46 people. The delegation's carbon footprint will exceed 40 tonnes.

The majority of attendees will be bureaucrats from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, who will travel as aides to Climate Change Minister Greg Combet.

The size and cost of the delegation has angered several of Mr Combet's colleagues, who are being forced to rein in spending to meet expected public sector budget cuts in the mid-year economic review.

The Government has already conceded that the next annual UN climate change conference - the second since the failed Copenhagen meeting in 2009 - will still not reach agreement on a reduction in global emissions.

Despite the foregone conclusion of another failure, Australia has boosted its official delegation from 38 last year.

"This is ridiculous - there is no need for 46 public servants to travel to Durban," one of Mr Combet's colleagues said.

"If (Barack) Obama can ban grass skirts because it would have sent the wrong economic message, surely we could cut down on the size of this delegation."

More than $250,000 has been budgeted by the department for hotel rooms for the week-long conference, which kicks off on November 28.

Return business-class flights for the group are estimated to cost up to $300,000.

Even economy airfares would cost up to $150,000.

Opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt said: "The government has already conceded that there will be no global agreement.

"It appears now that the only growth sector in the Australian economy is travel for government ministers and support staff associated with a conference that has failed before it has begun."

A spokesman for Mr Combet confirmed the delegation was 46 - including six from the embassy in South Africa.

Originally published as $500,000 to be spent on hot air