Ministers take to travelling again

quarter of the year.

Mr O’Connor ramped up his travel almost immediately after the borders opened, visiting the United Kingdom, Middle East, the US, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan and Europe.

They were a combination of international summits and trade talks — including a trip to the World Trade Organisation, securing the EU freetrade deal, and signing the UK deal.

Mr O’Connor had done some limited earlier travel, going through managed isolation and quarantine on his return.

The highest amount spent before to that was former foreign minister Murray McCully, who notched up $282,386 in April to June 2016 when New Zealand was on the UN Security Council.

The MPs’ and ministerial expenses for the April to June quarter are the first since the borders reopened fully and MIQ was scrapped.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern took her first steps outside the country, to Australia, Japan and Singapore, logging $137,000 travel costs for the quarter.

She has since also been to the United States, Europe, Australia again, and Fiji. Ardern had just $16,707 in internal costs.

In total, 16 ministers went on international travel, including Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta ($123,185), Chris Hipkins ($75,987), and Phil Twyford ($73,716).

The Speakers’ Tour to Ireland and Europe is also included in the expenses: former Speaker Trevor Mallard had $27,178 in international travel.

Other MPs on it included National MP Judith Collins

($28,716), Barbara Kuriger ($20,369), and Labour MPs Duncan Webb ($25,637) and Helen White ($23,102).

The expenses release also shows National Party leader Christopher Luxon had the highest costs of any nonministerial MP — usual for the Leader of the Opposition.

Of the ministers, Regional Development and Tourism minister Stuart Nash had the highest domestic travel and accommodation costs at $33,236, while Act New Zealand leader David Seymour spent $22,411. Green Party coleader Marama Shaw had $23,958 in expenses while James Shaw, a Wellington dweller, had just $5,704. — The