Packer's funeral cost taxpayers $73,000

(AAP) Taxpayers spent more than $73,000 farewelling Kerry Packer, a man who famously paid as little tax as possible.

The media tycoon's lavish state funeral in 2006 at the Sydney Opera House at a cost
of $73,223.63 was by far the most expensive of the past eight years, federal
government figures show.
Celebrities from across the globe, including Hollywood actors Tom Cruise and Katie
Holmes, attended the funeral where the Sydney Symphony Orchestra played Waltzing
Matilda
The cost to the public is revealed in a written answer by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
to a question from a Labor backbencher.
In 1991, Mr Packer was facing a federal investigation into the print media industry
where he was asked whether he tried to legally cut the amount of tax he paid.
"If anybody in this country doesn't minimise their tax, they want their heads read,
because as a government, I can tell you, you're not spending it that well that we
should be donating extra," he said.
Mr Rudd's answer includes the cost of every state funeral over the past eight years.
The next most expensive state farewells were for Australian Democrats founder Don
Chipp ($46,896.75), Hawke/Keating government minister Peter Cook (46,712.88) and
cricket legend Sir Don Bradman at Adelaide Oval in 2001 ($45,418.90).
Among more modest send-offs, the Canberra ceremony for the controversial Labor
politician Al Grassby cost $14,934.03.
Memorial services commemorating the Bali bombings at federal parliament's Great Hall
cost about $105,000 in 2002 and $140,000 in 2003.