Mike Newman defends $7,790 dinner and bar tab as documents reveal expense dispute with NSW public service

One Nation leader charged taxpayers for 71 beers, 23 bottles of wine at Japanese trade dinner; bureaucrats rejected bills

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources2 outlets

One Nation's NSW leader Mike Newman is facing scrutiny over hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded expenses incurred during his role as a senior trade commissioner in Japan. Newly released documents show senior public servants repeatedly questioned his spending, most notably a $7,790.50 dinner for a Japanese trade delegation that included 71 beers and 23 bottles of wine. Newman has defended his spending, arguing he was a reformer who saved the state money and that he often paid for expenses himself.

The documents, released through parliament, detail a pattern of spending brought into question by senior bureaucrats during Newman's 28-month stint in Japan. One official rejected a $211 lunch bill, telling the One Nation leader it was "not how the NSW government does business with the private sector" and that the cost exceeded "a reasonable cost for lunch".

The dinner at Crystalbrook Kingsley in Newcastle in August 2023 cost $7,790.50 for 51 people. While Newman has stated the alcohol was pre-approved, the documents reveal public servants say they were only informed that alcohol would be served at the event itself. An official was later required to answer detailed questions about the event, noting Newman had hosted the dinner and that only one onshore Investment NSW staffer was present.

The expenses also included about $20,494 on a seven-month stay in a Meriton Suite in Sydney before he moved to Japan while he waited for permission to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as rent for a Tokyo apartment during that period. Public servants questioned a subsequent 32-night hotel stay in 2023, writing to Newman to ask why his stay exceeded the approved 25 nights.

Newman has defended his record, pointing out that he has been a vocal critic of waste in the NSW public service since becoming party leader. "There is so much money and waste that is inside the public service," he said at his unveiling in August. He claims he saved taxpayers money by arguing against a $49 million net zero economy office the government wanted to establish, a claim the reporting has been unable to verify.

"Senior management and I did not see eye to eye because we had very strong differences of opinion on doing business," Newman said. "My department wanted to issue a fatwa on me [and] they used to use technicalities and irrelevant stuff to go after me because I threatened the status quo. I'm not a hypocrite, I was paying for a lot of this stuff myself."

Analysis

Why This Matters

The story cuts to the heart of minor-party credibility, as Newman built his platform on attacking government waste.
It exposes potential gaps in oversight of taxpayer-funded positions, particularly trade commissions abroad.
The revelations could weigh on One Nation's electoral prospects in the upcoming NSW campaign.

Background

Mike Newman is the One Nation leader in NSW and the party's candidate for the seat of Cessnock. He previously served as a senior trade commissioner in Japan for 28 months, a role funded by the NSW government. The expenses detailed in the documents were uncovered through a parliamentary call for papers and follow earlier reports about his spending on hotels, flights and restaurants.

Key Perspectives

[Mike Newman / One Nation]: He argues he was a disruptor who saved taxpayers money, notably by blocking a $49 million office initiative. He claims the department resisted his approach to business and that many costs were covered by him rather than reimbursed. [NSW Public Service / Bureaucrats]: The documents show officials viewed the spending as excessive and contrary to standard practice. They rejected bills and demanded explanations, reflecting a view that Newman frequently exceeded his mandate. [Critics/Skeptics]: Rivals are likely to see the revelations as clear hypocrisy from a politician who has made attacking public service waste a signature issue.

What to Watch

Whether the NSW government refers the matter to an integrity body for formal investigation.
How Newman's candidacy in Cessnock is affected by the ongoing scrutiny.
The impact on One Nation's performance in the next NSW state election.
Potential reform to expense claiming rules for trade envoys.

Sources

One Nation NSW leader hit with ‘please explain’ for charging taxpayers for 71 beers, 23 bottles of wine · Brisbane Times - Latest News
One Nation NSW leader hit with ‘please explain’ for charging taxpayers for 71 beers, 23 bottles of wine · WA Today - Latest News

Checked

11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 8 supported.

Show each claim

Partly supportedThe headline says the dinner and bar tab was $7,790.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The bill, for 51 people, included a three-course meal at $109 per head, as well as 71 beers and 23 bottles of wine.”
SupportedNewman charged taxpayers for 71 beers and 23 bottles of wine at the Japanese trade dinner.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The bill, for 51 people, included a three-course meal at $109 per head, as well as 71 beers and 23 bottles of wine.”
Partly supportedBureaucrats rejected bills over Newman’s spending.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “they would reject a $211 bill Newman had sought to charge taxpayers for a business lunch at Glorietta in North Sydney.”
SupportedNewman faced scrutiny over hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses during his 28-month stint as a senior trade commissioner in Japan.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Newman racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in expenses for taxpayer-funded flights, five-star hotels and restaurant and bar bills during his 28-month stint as a senior trade commissioner in Japan.”
SupportedAn official told Newman the $211 lunch was “not how the NSW government does business with the private sector” and exceeded “a reasonable cost for lunch”.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““At $70 per head (including wine), this exceeds a reasonable cost for lunch, noting that such hospitality and entertainment is not how the NSW government does business with the private sector,” the official wrote.”
SupportedThe August 2023 dinner for 51 people at Crystalbrook Kingsley cost $7,790.50.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “This masthead previously reported Newman charged taxpayers for a bill adding up to almost $5300 at Crystalbrook Kingsley, a hotel in Newcastle, in August 2023. He said that had been for a dinner with a Japanese trade delegation”
SupportedNewman said the alcohol was pre-approved, while documents show public servants found out alcohol would be served at the event itself.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “He said that had been for a dinner with a Japanese trade delegation and spending on alcohol was pre-approved. But the documents show the bill was larger – $7790.50 – and reveal public servants said they were only told that alcohol would be served at the event.”
SupportedNewman said, “There is so much money and waste that is inside the public service,” at his unveiling in August.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““There is so much money and waste that is inside the public service,” he said during his unveiling in August.”
Partly supportedPublic servants asked Newman why a 32-night hotel stay exceeded an approved 25 nights.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “Documents show public servants questioned that spending, and wrote to Newman asking why he was staying in the hotel for 32 nights, longer than had been approved. The public servant notes the department had approved 25 days”
SupportedNewman said he saved taxpayers money by opposing a proposed $49 million net zero economy office, but the reporting could not verify his claim.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The One Nation leader said he had saved taxpayers by arguing against a $49 million net zero economy office the government wanted to establish, though this masthead has been unable to verify that claim.”
SupportedNewman said his department wanted to issue a “fatwa” on him and said he was not a hypocrite because he paid for much of the expenses himself.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““My department wanted to issue a fatwa on me [and] they used to use technicalities and irrelevant stuff to go after me because I threatened the status quo. “I’m not a hypocrite, I was paying for a lot of this stuff myself.””