Launceston mayor Matthew Garwood is off to Canberra for a gala, after councillors approved what was budgeted as a $3000 trip.
The June 30 event is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan.
Launceston's oldest sister city relationship is with Ikeda, Japan, and the council spent about $50,000 on an international junket late 2025 to celebrate the partnership's 60th anniversary.
The 2026 trip, and its published near-$3000 budget, attracted media scrutiny due to the council spending $15,000 to send a delegation to the Australian Local Government Association assembly, and approving a 4.9 per cent rates rise on June 17.
On June 25, deputy mayor Hugh McKenzie said the gala event was "not insignificant" and was pleased Cr Garwood was attending.
He highlighted potential opportunities for discussion regarding funding for TasWater - something not listed in agenda papers but mentioned at the meeting - but hoped the cost of flights would be reduced.
"I hope you're not hiring a plane with $2000 flights," Cr McKenzie said.
"We should be able to do better than that."
Agenda papers listed the cost of accommodation as between $366 and $569, and $2120 was budgeted for return flights.
Cr Garwood said the cost of the flights would be $380 each way and he was "getting the smallest plane there and back".
Councillor Alex Britton also spoke in favour of the mayor's travel, due to the benefits for TasWater and the fact representatives of Ikeda would expect somebody from the City of Launceston council to attend the event.
The mayor previously commented on his personal Facebook page, defending the trip, saying it was his responsibility to represent Launceston and he wasn't using it as a personal holiday.
"Building relationships with State and Federal Governments matters," he said.
"Not every invitation is accepted. These opportunities aren't self-nominated, and they're certainly not holidays. They're assessed on the value they can bring to Launceston."
All councillors present at the meeting voted to approve the trip.