Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

McCully tops spending on travel

Updated at 7:49 pm on 16 May 2012

The Foreign Affairs Minister spent more than any other minister on overseas travel in the first three months of this year.

The latest release of ministerial spending data reveals Murray McCully, who is driving spending cuts at his own ministry, spent $110,000 on international travel, accommodation and food.

Government ministers in general have spent nearly $50,000 more on international travel in the first three months of this year compared with the same period in 2011.

But their spending on internal travel and accommodation in Wellington was almost $100,000 lower.

The latest release of spending by ministers reveals they spent $394,110 on international travel from January to the end of March. In 2011, they spent $347, 293.

Though higher than the same period last year, it is much lower than some other three-month periods.

For instance, in the three months to the end of June, they spent $980,670 on overseas travel.

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