All 304 Administrative Appeals Tribunal members have been invited to a luxury Queensland resort at your expense. The Herald Sun has revealed, taxpayers will be hit with a $500,000 bill to cover flights, accommodation, fine dining and drinks during the three-day speaking event.

The AAT members and staff will be flown from around Australia to the Novotel Twin Waters resort on the Sunshine Coast for the organisation’s biennial national conference. They will almost fill the 361-room resort, which has a private saltwater lagoon and is a walk away from the surf beach.

This comes after it was revealed that the AAT saved up to 164 foreign-born criminals from deportation. Among those spared, were murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and armed robbers. Since 2013, the AAT has rescued 98 criminals who had their visas cancelled or not granted.