Empty room charged to ministerial card

A two-week trip to Europe by former Defence and Tourism Minister Mark Burton and his wife included a hotel bill of $15,203.46 - including two nights while the Burtons were on holiday elsewhere.

In 2003 the Burtons stayed at the Trafalgar Hilton in 2003 from October 30 until November 11, before heading to Munich for a night, to promote tourism and defence interests.

Cabinet papers show that the first days until November 2 were supposed to be "private travel at your own expense", but Ministerial Services confirmed yesterday that there had been no repayments.

Mr Burton said yesterday that plans had changed, and a new schedule meant he had to attend a series of defence meetings on Friday, the day after they arrived.

He and his wife then travelled to Salisbury for two nights - at their own expense - but their room at the Hilton was kept at a cost of £293.75 a night.

The cost to the taxpayer was $1606 for the empty rooms, using the exchange rate at the time.

"The room was kept because that was the advice we were given. There was no financial advantage to empty the room and then to check back in," Mr Burton said. "To have broken continuous occupancy would have potentially affected the daily rate."

The total cost of the trip - which included a senior adviser - was $16,429.37, comprising hotel costs and a $292 train bill.

Credit card records also show Mr Burton's office staff bought a stereo for $400 and a $15 bunch of flowers "for official use" in 2004.

His office also spent $188.53 on kitchen goods in 2006.

That same year a staffer watched an in-house movie at the Hyatt in Adelaide for $14.95. A staffer also spent $34.95 on a "funky orange x-sport" cover for a Nokia cellphone, and $19 on a leather cellphone case.

Mr Burton said he had no idea about these expenses, and Ministerial Services would have decided whether it was appropriate.

His staff also spent thousands on official gifts, including $2424.85 on items from Te Papa in April 2005 before a week-long trip to Dubai, and $1735.16 on several gifts before a trip to Japan and South Korea.

How much to spend on gifts is decided by Cabinet before a trip.

Other records show former Sports Minister Clayton Cosgrove and his wife went to Beijing for a nine-day stay at the China World Motel during the Olympics, costing $6388.

Then-Prime Minister Helen Clark approved this but questioned for how long. On his application she scribbled: "Of course you must go - question is for how long."

When in Canada in May that year, Mr Cosgrove's luggage was lost and he bought a $1569 suit, a $52 tie and spent $57 on a shirt and socks.

On the same trip he spent $712 on a taxi-limo; a spokesperson said the trip included three official meetings.

Lost luggage struck again in 2007, when Mr Cosgrove was in Guyana to attend the Commonwealth Finance Ministers Meeting. He spent $709 on his card for replacements, later covered by insurance.

In 2003 Cabinet approved $100,400 for a trip to Europe for Progressive leader Jim Anderton, his wife and his private secretary.

Items on the statements include a $1012 bill for a meal at a Vienna pizza restaurant, and a €25 charge for a movie at a Frankfurt hotel, which Mr Anderton insisted was family friendly.

A staffer for disgraced former minister Taito Phillip Field paid US$29.14 for two movies in a Hawaii hotel in 2005, and $134 for beer and wine during a three-day stay at a Solomon Islands hotel, none of which were reimbursed.

Act leader Rodney Hide bought a mirror from Briscoes for $20.99 for his office.

Mr Hide's infamous trip to London, Europe and America with his partner, Louise Crome, was signed off by the cabinet, but the cabinet minute among his records says that his partner's travel costs would "be met privately". They were actually met out of parliamentary funding, but Mr Hide later repaid it and apologised.

BED BUDGET

Former minister Mark Burton's 2003 trip to the UK:

* Hotel cost of $15,203.46 for a two-week trip to Europe.
* Cabinet papers show travel for the first days was "private travel at your own expense".
* Mr Burton and his wife stayed in Salisbury for two nights, but did not check out of their room at the Trafalgar Hilton - at a cost of $1606. None was repaid.
* Advice was that checking out would have been more expensive than paying for an empty room.