The Public Service Association says politicians should follow the lead of the public sector when it comes to the use of credit cards.
The State Services Commission has released details of credit card spending by public service chief executives from June 2008 - July 2010.
The commission says it is satisfied the expenses are work-related and within departmental policies, although chief executives have been warned to rein in their spending on staff entertainment.
PSA national secretary Brenda Pilott says the New Zealand public service is known internationally for transparency and a lack of corruption.
She says public servants have quite clear management controls on their spending and politicians would do well to exercise the same sort of controls.
The highest bill of $66,000 belonged to former Food Safety Authority chief executive Andrew McKenzie. It included a $100-a-head lunch at Logan Brown in Wellington.
