Murray McCully's $26k charter plane to Myanmar

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully - Source: ONE News

The Government is spending more than $26,000 to charter a plane to ferry Foreign Minister Murray McCully and his entourage on a three-day visit to Myanmar that started yesterday.

It comes as his ministry works on ways to cut costs and staff, which could force New Zealand's consul in Cairo, Barbara Welton, to reapply for a new job.

Welton put her life on the line to help Northland mother Mihi Puriri and her children during a tense standoff in Algeria last week over custody.

The small charter plane took McCully and five others from Bangkok in Thailand to the Myanmar capital, Naypyidaw. It will go on to Yangon, then return them to Bangkok.

The price for each passenger would be about $4400, a spokeswoman for McCully said.

"Chartering a small plane has become a standard method of entry into Naypyidaw. The decision was taken on the recommendation of New Zealand's ambassador [Bede Corry], who advised against commercial air and road options on safety and security grounds," she said.

"The key point is that we are unable to fly in to Naypyidaw on commercial airlines. There isn't a comparable commercial cost; it would be a combination of commercial airlines plus road travel, both of which we have been advised to avoid for safety reasons by [Corry]."
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The ministry's own travel advisory says there is "some risk" in the central areas of Myanmar that the delegation will visit - the same level of risk it assesses for travel to Fiji.

One travel agent spoken to quoted $701 for a Thai Airlines return economy ticket from Bangkok to Rangoon.

She said Air Mandalay (slogan: "safety, reliability and comfort") flew a domestic service from Yangon to the capital at a return cost of up to $340, though it was difficult to book from New Zealand.

That would take the all-up cost to just over $1000 for each passenger or about $6200 for six tickets.

The New Zealand delegation includes two from Bangkok, including Corry, and the Asean ambassador in Jakarta, David Taylor.

McCully's spokeswoman said Corry had advised that the charter option would also provide the flexibility required to manage meetings in both Naypyidaw and Rangoon, where times could change.

She said McCully had not used a charter plane before.

Meanwhile, a foreign affairs spokesman confirmed the proposed changes at the ministry, which could see up to 305 jobs go, would affect the consul's role in Cairo. "The proposed changes are currently being consulted with staff and no decisions have yet been taken."

Prime Minister John Key said the Cairo post had done good work helping Puriri and all actions had been within the law. On the possible loss of Welton's job, he said no final decisions had been made yet.

It was important to provide support for New Zealanders when they needed it, but the Government needed to modernise the foreign service.

He said the proposed 0800 number for New Zealanders overseas was intended as a way to direct them to the nearest help.

"It's not to say that is the support. It's simply a mechanism for directing support," he said.

"It would be my expectation that whatever happens ... that a person finding themselves in [Puriri's] position would still continue to get support by a New Zealander."