Ministers rack up travel expenses of $1.6 million

Ministers racked up more than $1.6 million on travel and accommodation in the last quarter.

Ministers and MPS’ expenses from April 1 until June 30 were published yesterday and show the spend was more for the same period last year, which totalled $1.49m, but less than the prior Government over the same period, who had spent $2.02m.

The figures show Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s official Cabinet approved international travel and accommodation bill was $99,521.

During that period her international travel included a trip to France for the Christchurch Call in Paris, a trip to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and a trip to Singapore to launch the New Zealand-singapore Enhanced Partnership and meet Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Halimah Yacob.

While her domestic travel and accommodation totalled $40,341, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones racked up $44,728 travelling around the country to dish out the Provincial Growth Fund.

In comparison, for the same time last year, Ardern (who was on maternity leave for a week of the period) spent $27,489 on travel and accommodation within New Zealand and $56,552 on overseas travel.

The figures show Labour ministers spent about $1.2m on travel and accommodation, while NZ First ministers spent $331,167 and Green ministers a total of $83,034.

It was Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker who forked out the most on travel and accommodation, spending $146,508.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters spent $125,616 including about $89,000 on international travel, while Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods spent $107,151 in total.

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Simon Bridges racked up a total of $45,000 for the period but did not travel overseas.

National MP Louise Upston was the highest non-ministerial spender, with a bill of $51,000, after spending $18,000 on international travel.