{"id":854087,"date":"2026-09-20T07:16:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T07:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/854087\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T07:16:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T07:16:30","slug":"inside-24-hour-economy-commissioner-michael-rodrigues-nine-overseas-trips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/854087\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside 24-hour economy commissioner Michael Rodrigues\u2019 nine overseas trips"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Kayla<\/p>\n

September 20, 2026 \u2014 5:00am<\/p>\n

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The state\u2019s 24-hour economy commissioner has made nine overseas trips investigating nightlife abroad since February 2024, with his role and these expenses now under parliamentary scrutiny amid wider cuts across the arts sector.<\/p>\n

Madrid, London, Hong Kong, Beijing, Amsterdam, Singapore, Barcelona and San Francisco are among the cities NSW 24-Hour Commissioner Michael Rodrigues has visited, staying in boutique hotels and flying premium economy or business class.<\/p>\n

\"MichaelMichael Rodrigues, NSW\u2019s first 24-hour economy commissioner, in Burwood.James Brickwood<\/p>\n

Logged expenditure, accessed via a standing order and obtained by this masthead, reveals Rodrigues travelled between Europe, the US and Asia multiple times over the two years, meeting with overseas counterparts and attending multiple venues and networking events.<\/p>\n

Critics have blasted Rodrigues\u2019 trips, noting they were undertaken as the 62-year-old Australian Design Centre was forced to close<\/a> due to a lack of government funding, and a parliamentary inquiry found that the push to revive Sydney\u2019s night-time reputation has come at direct cost to the state\u2019s arts and culture sectors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Details of the commissioner\u2019s travel spending have emerged following this masthead\u2019s reporting on a pre-operational spending spree at the billion-dollar Powerhouse Parramatta<\/a>. The Powerhouse and the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner are in NSW Arts and Night-time Economy Minister John Graham\u2019s remit.<\/p>\n

Rodrigues was appointed to the newly established role in 2021 as the state\u2019s first 24-hour economy commissioner to improve Sydney\u2019s night-time economy. A spokesperson for the NSW Department of Creative Industries said his role included raising Sydney and NSW\u2019s international profiles, strengthening our reputation as a vibrant global destination, and attracting investment and tourism.<\/p>\n

Graham said the commissioner\u2019s overseas travel helped restore Sydney\u2019s reputation among global \u201cthought leaders\u201d at some of the most \u201cinfluential policy forums\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn important part of the commissioner\u2019s work has involved rebuilding our reputation overseas after the lockout era damaged the global reputation of Sydney,\u201d Graham said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

On a three-day trip to Barcelona in January and February 2025, Rodrigues met his Spanish night-time commissioner counterpart for \u201cboth cities to exchange insights and share experiences in addressing challenges associated with nighttime governance\u201d.<\/p>\n

Rodrigues spent the first day in the Spanish city with Barcelona-based Venezuelan night-time governance consultant Andreina Seijas and went to a private event featuring Italian artist Davide Quayola. This was followed by dinner at Xeixa, a restaurant specialising in Catalan cuisine inside a former brothel that inspired one of Picasso\u2019s works, then the historic Dr Stravinsky cocktail bar.<\/p>\n

The second Barcelona day\u2019s morning involved informal and formal discussions with the city\u2019s night office, followed by lunch at the city\u2019s oldest restaurant, Can Culleretes. Rodrigues then took an \u201cinstitutional photograph\u201d that included Graham, who paid for his own trip while on work leave.<\/p>\n

Next, the commissioner visited Barcelona\u2019s beachfront clubs and bars with other representatives, later explored the historic theatre district, including three venues (Sala Apolo, El Molino and La Paloma), had dinner to discuss the \u201cchallenges and opportunities in the local scene\u201d, and ended the day with a club visit to Razzmatazz.<\/p>\n

Here, Rodrigues stayed until 1am to observe \u201cits transition from a concert venue to a mega-club\u201d as well as review its \u201cweekend operational strategy \u2026 [and how] neighbouring venues and local police manage safety in response to rising noise complaints\u201d, according to a document titled \u201clessons learned\u201d following the trip.<\/p>\n

The commissioner\u2019s third and final day in Barcelona began at historic Catalan cafe Els Quatre Gats, where Picasso held his first-ever solo exhibition before heading to the Time Out Market. Rodrigues capped off the day by walking along the Consell de Cent Superblock and visiting three bars, including Sips, which was ranked third in the world at the time.<\/p>\n

Some of Rodrigues\u2019 learnings from Barcelona included comparing each city\u2019s Olympic legacy, the need for Sydney to adopt a decentralised approach, and the importance of public-private collaboration and nocturnal heritage.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe NSW arts minister (centre-left) and the 24-Hour commissioner (right) in Barcelona. The minister was there on work leave and paid for the trip himself.Standing order document<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring the 19th century, the people of Barcelona began experiencing the proliferation of new forms of life, leisure and social interaction, laying the foundation for its night-time economy,\u201d his reflections noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cEstablishments such as Bar Marsella (est. 1820), Els Quatre Gats (est. 1896) and London Bar (est. 1910) have historically served as meeting points for intellectuals, artists, workers and unionists, with frequent visitors including Picasso, Dali and Ernest Hemingway.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe tangible and intangible value of these establishments highlights the importance of implementing mechanisms to protect them from disappearing and to preserve their cultural significance.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement to this masthead, Rodrigues said his travelling was part of \u201cinternational engagement, [which] is an important part of ensuring NSW remains competitive globally\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy focus is ensuring that all international engagement delivers value for NSW businesses and communities and continues to drive the growth and success of the 24-hour economy in our state,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann said she made the travel inquiries following industry concern that the 24-hour economy commissioner had a significant and growing budget, at a time of cuts in other areas of the arts budget, with \u201cnot a lot to show for it\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt must be particularly galling for struggling artists and musos to see money that is supposed to be revitalising this state\u2019s arts and cultural sectors being spent on business-class flights and posh hotels,\u201d Faehrmann said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe closing of the Australian Design Centre should never have been allowed to happen on this government\u2019s watch, but clearly its priorities lie elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rodrigues\u2019 Barcelona trip, where he stayed at four-star hotel Casa Bonay for about $350 a night, was part of a larger trip to Europe that included London, Amsterdam and Birmingham. That trip alone cost roughly $10,000 in flights and accommodation.<\/p>\n

He stayed at the $500-a-night Hoxton Shoreditch in London, the $600-a-night Hotel V Nesplein in Amsterdam and the more budget-friendly Hyatt Regency in Birmingham, which is about $200 per night.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"(From<\/a><\/p>\n

In March, when the commissioner travelled to China and Hong Kong for a NSW Creative Industries multi-day event, he flew from Sydney in business class and premium economy. Meanwhile, Amelia Rowe, a screen investment manager at Screen NSW, flew premium economy to the same event.<\/p>\n

All up, the commissioner\u2019s travel from February 2024 until March 2026 exceeds $80,000, including flights, accommodation, meals and incidentals.<\/p>\n

But the 24-Hour Office said Rodrigues\u2019 most expensive trip was funded by non-profit organisation Aspen Institute, costing roughly $16,800 for a trip to Madrid in April 2026 to speak at Bloomberg\u2019s CityLab conference on urban planning ideas.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Singapore\u2019s National Development Office covered the commissioner\u2019s accommodation and transport between the hotel and airport for the World Cities Summit in June 2026.<\/p>\n

Rodrigues\u2019 travel expenses to San Francisco in October 2025 to attend the World Economic Forum are yet to be formally reported.<\/p>\n

Related Article\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cAll other travel has been funded in accordance with existing departmental travel and financial policies,\u201d a spokesperson for the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, which houses the 24-Hour Office, said.<\/p>\n

During budget estimates in August, committee chair Faehrmann asked Rodrigues about the travel.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was invited to speak in the UK and I took that opportunity to go to Barcelona, partly because it\u2019s one of the comparable cities that the Committee for Sydney had identified that we should look at,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cTemperate environment, coastal, as opposed to other international cities that we sometimes draw comparison to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Related Article\"GIF:<\/a><\/p>\n

In his statement, Rodrigues said international travel was part of the government\u2019s 24-Hour Economy Strategy.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe 24-hour economy \u2026 [is] a growing, $110 billion sector that supports more than 1.27 million jobs across NSW,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncreasingly, NSW is being asked to share our industry-leading expertise on precinct management, cultural activation and night-time economy policy with other jurisdictions in Australia and overseas, establishing NSW\u2019s reputation as a tourism destination of first choice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\"KaylaKayla Olaya<\/a> is a culture reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email<\/a>.From our partners<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"September 20, 2026 \u2014 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":854088,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[28,101],"class_list":["post-854087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy","tag-business","tag-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/854087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=854087"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/854087\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/854088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=854087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=854087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=854087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}