MPs spending on travel and accommodation across all parties has rocketed up to more than $2,000,000.
National Party leader Simon Bridges fields media questions before heading into the House. Photo: VNP / Daniela Maoate-Cox
The details of spending in the months from April to June have just been released, and they show a more than $500,000 increase from the quarter before.
It also confirmed National Party leader Simon Bridges' nearly $114,000 bill, the details of which were leaked to media earlier this week.
READ MORE: Simon Bridges' expenses leak: what we know so far
That leak is now the subject of an inquiry ordered by the Speaker of the House.
The official expenses information shows MPs spending was $2,100,474 in the April quarter, up from $1,493,715 in the previous quarter.
Spending for all parties is up, National MPs spent $1,400,000, compared with just more than $900,000 the quarter before.
Labour was also up from $441,000 in the January quarter, to $495,000.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern insisted her MPs have been making a genuine attempt to try to keep their expenses down.
Ms Ardern said efforts were made, for example, when there were several MPs travelling to the same place - to hire a van.
New Zealand First had a significant increase, going from about $64,000 to $103,000.
The Greens and Act also spent more, with the Greens racking up an extra $22,000.
Apart from Mr Bridges the highest spenders were mainly MPs who lived in the regions, which meant a bigger travel bill.
The highest of those was the National MP for Clutha-Southland Hamish Walker at nearly $40,000.
