Prime Minister John Key says he has no control over the budget for diplomatic protection and is not responsible for overspending.
Figures released by the police show $4,929,317 was spent on diplomatic protection for the past financial year, about $750,000 over budget.
Mr Key says the matter is an operational one for the police, and he does not try to second-guess them because they are the ones with the relevant expertise.
The police say they make decisions on VIP protection on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration all relevant information at the time.
