NZ First Minister Shane Jones has again outspent the Prime Minister, putting more than twice as much on his ministerial expense account than Jacinda Ardern.
He is again the highest spending minister, racking up almost $30,000 between April 1 and June 30 this year.
This is according to the quarterly disclosure of ministers' expenses, which tracks how much ministers have spent on things like flights and accommodation.
The records show Ardern spent just under $15,000 and NZ First leader and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters spent $10,000 over the same period.
Jones, who is based in Kerikeri, put more on his expense account than all four Green Party ministers combined, who spent a collective $21,000.
His, and every other minister's, spending over the period is way down on previous quarters because of the Covid-19 restrictions.
A spokeswoman for Jones said his expenses were not out of the ordinary for a rurally based MP – "particularly one who spends much of his time travelling around Tai Tokerau in his capacity as the Minister for Regional Economic Development".
"Viewing ministerial travel expenses across previous quarters, the minister's are in line with those of his colleagues, particularly those based in similarly rural areas."
The second-highest spending minister in the June quarter was Corrections Minister and Deputy Labour leader Kelvin Davis, who spent just over $25,000.
Next was Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor, who spent $24,500.
The leanest minister was Jan Logie, who actually returned $31 to the Crown over the quarter.
Jones was the second-highest spending minister in the March quarter, spending $1500 less than O'Connor's $40,000 but $7000 more than Ardern's $31,000.
But the quarter before that – the last quarter of 2019 – Jones was on top, spending $46,000 in the three months to December 31.
That does not count international travel costs, which Jones spent nothing on, compared to the $185,000 spent by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.
In total, the amount of money ministers charged to their expense account last quarter was almost $430,000.
That is significantly less than the $656,000 spent between January 1 and March 31 at the beginning of this year.
That is not including international travel costs, which was a further $180,000.
Accommodation and domestic travel costs are way down on prior quarters.
And, because of refunds, some $40,000 was returned to the Crown in the June quarter.