<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Communications Minister Anika Wells spent almost $100,000 of taxpayer money on a three-day trip to </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/new-york-city" rel="" target="_blank" title="New York City"><span>New York City</span></a><span>, according to documents released at Senate estimates.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wells stung the public purse with $94,828.75 on return flights for herself and two staffers to attend the United Nations General Assembly in early September.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A breakdown of the flights revealed Wells paid $34,426.58 for her ticket.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/exclusive-carol-and-robert-gould-legal-fight-after-injury-results-in-thumb-amputation/bf5ff8a4-3487-4ec8-8e56-e2f2e612edb3" target="_blank"><strong><span>Robert's thumb was amputated 14 years ago. It sparked a legal nightmare</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Flights for the minister's deputy chief of staff were $38,165.86, and her assistant secretary for online safety's tickets were $22,236.31 for the whirlwind visit.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Accommodation and transport in the Big Apple also totalled around $22,296 for the trio.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The UN General Assembly was already well-represented by Australian politicians, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/anika-wells-minister-for-communications-taxpayers-foot-100k-fights-to-new-york-city/c4f56da2-5291-45e9-bae6-512c2f03622d" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wells visited NYC during the UN General Assembly to spruik Australia's impending </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/social-media-ban-full-list-of-sites-apps-exemptions-australia/fc75d5a7-2cc7-43a6-b7ee-074a47829ae5" rel="" target="" title="under-16 social media ban."><span>under-16 social media ban.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/music-festival-health-risks-food-preparation-poisoning/e31027c5-7ec6-4a88-be04-5ed5625be751" target="_blank"><strong><span>Deadly hidden health risks of festivals revealed</span></strong></a></div></div><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="150px" src="https://omny.fm/shows/ben-fordham-full-show/exclusive-minister-spends-almost-100-000-on-3-day-trip/embed?style=cover" width="100%"></iframe></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She was due to fly earlier alongside the PM but her trip was delayed by several days due to the Optus Triple Zero outage.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The minister faced criticism for still flying to NYC amid the </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/triple-zero-outage-optus-telstra-anika-wells-meeting/70a73b63-30fa-41bd-b7e7-522d7ceaadaa" rel="" target="_blank" title="Optus Triple Zero catastrophe."><span>Optus Triple Zero catastrophe.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>9news.com.au has contacted the minister's office for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Wells is scheduled to front the National Press Club in Canberra today.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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