Prime Minister John Key has defended the high travel bill for one of his backbench MPs.
Paul Foster-Bell has also faced accusations of poor management after reportedly having 12 staff leave over a period of three years.
The former diplomat and list MP racked up a $61,090 travel and accommodation bill last year - the third-highest for Wellington-based MPs.
Asked about those expenses today, Mr Key said Mr Foster-Bell was among a group of MPs that tended to travel more, as that was required by the party.
"It's not unusual for us to use a list MP, certainly someone with skills like he has in foreign affairs, around the country. Other MPs ask him to support them in terms of talks or seminars ... or to fill in, for instance, for ministers."