Essex County Council's chief executive is to jet off on a three-week trip down under at council taxpayers' expense just weeks before he is due to retire.
Stewart Ashurst will visit Australia and New Zealand at the start of next month. He will squeeze the journey in just a month before stepping down from his £200,000-a-year post at the end of December.
County Hall last night defended the all-expenses-paid trip, which is being funded by council taxpayers.
Council leader Lord Hanningfield claimed fact-finding missions were "vital" for Essex to improve services and become a "leading edge" authority.
"Those in local government know that countries like Australia and New Zealand have some excellent examples of practice and innovation," he said.
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