MPs fly cattle class for look at Aussie farming scene

Six MPs on the primary production select committee are leaving for Australia today - but are flying economy class.

Last year MPs on the justice and electoral committee flew business class.

Taranaki-King Country National MP Shane Ardern will lead the delegation and the costs of the New Zealand MPs in Australia will be met by the Australian Government.

The committee will go to Canberra and South Australia and look in particular at Australian policy and practice in the dairy and aquaculture industry and the management and allocation of water.

Other MPs travelling are National's Sandra Goudie and Colin King and Labour's Brendon Burns, Ashraf Choudhary and Damien O'Connor.

New Zealand hosts the Australian joint standing committee on national capital and external territories in a fortnight.