Foreign Minister Murray McCully has repaid the liquor bill for a working lunch out of his own pocket after discovering he had racked up close to $800 on New Zealand wine.
Expense claims released today by the Speaker showed that Mr McCully's credit card was charged PGK1272 ($773, at the time) for four bottles of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc at a Papua New Guinea restaurant in August last year.
A spokesman said the minister paid back the bill after finding out how much he had been charged.
The Marlborough wine retails for between $35 and $40 in New Zealand stores.
Mr McCully's total spending on travel and accommodation between October and December was $66,558 - a relatively low amount for a Foreign Minister, owing to his break from work following surgery.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Amy Adams' credit card receipts revealed a varying standard of accommodation.
Ms Adams travelled to India last September as part of a business delegation and in her role as Communications Minister, and stayed in five-star luxury at the Taj Mahal New Delhi and The Taj West End Bangalore.
But last November, with Auckland accommodation almost entirely booked out because of a Fleetwood Mac concert, she opted for the Manukau Motor Lodge when in Auckland to speak at a White Ribbon dinner.
Demand meant a higher than usual room price of $350 - not much cheaper than the room charge of $440 at the Taj Mahal New Delhi.
