Labor Hospitality Minister Joel Bowden claims his bus trip to inspect a pub at Dundee Beach last week with lobbyists from Hospitality NT was part of his “official duties”, while taking a break from a “meeting” on site to inspect the boat ramp there for an upcoming party election pledge, and claimed his chief of staff paid for the fuel herself to drive the three-hour return trip to pick him up.

Ministers have been required to publicly disclose all travel undertaken during the caretaker period, in line with recommendations by the anti-corruption watchdog who investigated Labor and former chief minister Michael Gunner for misusing taxpayer money during the 2020 caretaker period.

Mr Bowden reported the August 6 trip to Dundee Beach online, stating that it was for a “stakeholder” meeting with Hospitality NT and that an “NTG fleet vehicle” was used, but that it did not cost taxpayers any money.

But faced with questions, it was revealed that he travelled to Dundee Beach Tavern on a bus with Hospitality NT and their national executive who were in town last week, and that his chief of staff Cathy Simmonds drove to Dundee by herself to pick him up and allegedly covered all the fuel costs herself.

“The chief of staff to my ministerial office attended the meeting and transported us both back to Darwin by car,” he said in an email.

“The fuel costs were not charged to the taxpayer but met by my chief of staff.”

It was unclear why Mr Bowden did not meet with the Australia Hotels Association members in Darwin, where they were based for days.

“I accepted an invitation by Hospitality NT to visit some iconic hospitality businesses in the Top End in the presence of the AHA National executive,” he said.

“My chief of staff and I arranged separate travel to ensure I was back in Darwin to meet a family commitment.”

It was also unexplained why the Minister would not have paid for the fuel himself if he needed to be back in town for a family commitment.

Mr Bowden previously stated publicly on Mix 104.9 that he would not be travelling outside of his electorate during the election period.

Mr Bowden did not post any pictures of his travels with Hospitality NT on social media, but on August 6, posted pictures of himself meeting with the Motor Trades Association a day earlier.

On Tuesday of this week, he issued a campaign pledge to upgrade the Dundee Beach boat ramp if Labor is re-elected.

“The meeting was an official duty and was not undertaken for party political purposes,” he said. “The boat ramp is across the road from the Dundee Tavern, the venue of the meeting, so I walked over and had a look while I was there.”

Independent candidate for the seat of Johnston Justine Davis questioned the necessity of Mr Bowden’s trip and the initial answers he provided about it.

“Our politicians need to be honest and accountable,” she said.

“During the caretaker period, it’s especially important to make sure our elected representatives are free from influence or the perception of any improper behaviour.

“People in the community have told me over and over again that they don’t trust politicians.”

The only other minister to publicly report travel during the campaign period so far is Chansey Paech, who disclosed that he charged taxpayers $1,832 for a commercial flight from Alice Springs to Darwin on August 8 to attend the Darwin Festival opening night, the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair and to present an award at the National Indigenous Music Awards as Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

The ICAC’s investigation into the misuse of public resources by Mr Gunner and Labor for election campaign trips to remote communities in marginal electorates on polling days during the 2020 election period made no adverse findings despite overwhelming evidence the trips were party political in nature and violated caretaker guidelines.

A separate report into Labor staffers misusing public resources was supposed to be released on July 30, but that report has not been delivered as acting ICAC Naomi Loudon continues to refuse to disclose the nature of her conflict of interest with the Labor Government.

The Chief Minister’s office has pledged to release all intrastate travel expenses for politicians before the election, but that also has not been made public to date.