The recent spending by Members of Parliament has been released.
The MP expenses are from October 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017, collected by Internal Affairs .
It includes Wellington accommodation, out of Wellington travel expenses, domestic air travel and surface travel.
The MP with the biggest expenses, totalling $30,186, was Labour MP and Minister for Building Jenny Salesa, who represents the Manukau East electorate.
In a statement, she told 1 NEWS:
"The Minister for Ethnic Communities does a significant amount of outreach to meet all the different groups and communities in this portfolio," she said.
"For example this weekend, she has attended six community events in this portfolio, alone.
"It is an important part of her role to meet with many different groups and keep them in touch with issues the government is working on.
"This inevitably requires a significant amount of travel between events and meetings.
"The Minister was particularly busy travelling, meeting with different groups in the period immediately after the election – October – December.
"Also, as Associate Minister for three portfolios she has also been required to stand in for other Ministers at numerous events / public engagements."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had $27,751 worth of expenses, however $6,904 of this was an administration error, pulling her expenses down to $20,847.
NZ First list-MP, and Minister for Regional Economic Development Shane Jones had the second highest expenses, totalling $27,296, with $11,436 of that used on surface travel and $9,108 on domestic air travel.
Labour deputy Kelvin Davis, and MP for Te Tai Tokerau, was the third highest with $24,644, with Auckland Labour MP Phil Twyford following on $23,642.
Then-National leader Bill English spent a total of $17,165.
Current MPs Chris Finalyson of National and Green Party co-leader James Shaw were the lowest spenders, with Mr Finlayson on $2,651 and Mr Shaw on $4,031. Both did not have Wellington accommodation expenses.
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