Building and Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa is going to make sure she does not again rack up more internal travel expenses than anyone else, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
Ms Salesa spent $30,186 in the first three months of the Government - more than Ms Ardern's $27,751.
Ms Ardern explained that since the travel expenditure figures were released yesterday, Ms Salesa had "become aware'' of some things that led to her spending being higher than other ministers.
Ms Salesa had sometimes ended up using contractors for her travel because ministerial cars were not available, Ms Ardern said.
"They charged out at a higher rate. She now has an acute awareness of that and is taking steps to try to make sure it doesn't happen again,'' Ms Ardern said.
The first release of expenses since the Labour-New Zealand First coalition took over in Government shows Ms Salesa is among ministers clearly relishing the Crown car service.
The quarterly release for travel and accommodation from October 1 to the end of December has Ms Ardern's domestic travel and accommodation costs at $27,751 for her first three months in office, although that figure drops to $20,847 once a $7000 repayment for an accommodation allowance is taken off.
Of that, $14,600 was on surface travel - most of which is likely to be the cost of the Crown BMW limo service.
Ms Salesa's spending included almost $14,000 on surface travel.
New Zealand First MP and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones was the next-highest spending minister, racking up $27,300 including $11,436 on surface travel and $9100 on domestic flights - the highest domestic flight bill of any minister.
Usually the highest travel bills are for Northland and Southland-based MPs. Mr Jones lives in Kerikeri.
Other high users of the Crown cars included Northland-based Kelvin Davis, the Tourism, Corrections and Crown-Maori Relations Minister, who spent $24,644, including $10,980 on surface travel.
Auckland-based Housing and Transport Minister Phil Twyford spent $11,400 on surface travel and his costs were $23,640 overall.
The expenses also show the ministerial credit cards have had their first workout for some.
So far most of that spending was on items such as diplomatic passports for ministers, spouses and staff, including one for the PM's partner, Clarke Gayford, who has accompanied her on some overseas trips.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters' domestic costs were restrained at $16,140, including just $4830 on Crown limos, although he also had $10,734 from the time before he became a minister and for items such as his partner's travel.
The Foreign Affairs Minister spent $33,000 on international travel, just ahead of Trade Minister David Parker, who spent $32,850 on international travel.
Climate Change Minister James Shaw spent $26,712 on international travel - to Europe for climate-change meetings.
Former National Party leader Bill English spent just $6700, but the expenses also included $17,165 of the costs from his time as Prime Minister before the election.
Of MPs who are not ministers, the top four were all National MPs. Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller was the highest, spending $26,329, including $17,754 on domestic flights.
List MP David Carter was next, spending $26,278, although it is likely some of his costs dated back to his time as Speaker.
Then came Christchurch List MP Nuk Korako ($23,455) and Whangarei MP Shane Reti ($23,129). Green List MP Marama Davidson clocked in with $23,168, followed by Labour List MP Kiri Allan on $23,004.
