Geldof paid $65,000 for poverty speech

MELBOURNE, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Sources with an anti-poverty event in Melbourne said campaigner Bob Geldof was paid $65,000 to speak at the function.

An event insider said Geldof's fee, which was paid by sponsors including the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, included money for luxury hotel rooms and first-class flights, the Melbourne Herald-Sun reported Friday.

"It was an inspiring speech. But when you think he got paid $100,000 (U.S. $65,000) to talk about poverty, it seems like a bit of a contradiction," the insider said. "That's $100,000 that could have made a difference to poverty right there. Everyone in the audience would have walked away in awe. If only they knew the full story."

The insider said another anti-poverty activist, the Rev. Tim Costello, spoke at the event for no compensation.