Chris Carter

Auckland, Aug 7 NZPA - Labour MP Chris Carter today attacked what he described as "malicious misinformation" over his travel spending.

He also made no apology for his travel costs, as an Opposition MP and as a government minister.

Mr Carter had the biggest expenses bill among Opposition MPs, except for Labour leader Phil Goff, for the first six months of the year, and it included more than $57,000 for airfares.

But the Te Atatu MP said today that his job as Labour's foreign affairs and ethnic affairs spokesman meant he did a lot of travelling.

Most of his airfare expenses this year had come from a month-long trip to China, Britain, Canada and the United States.

Other figures released by National show that Mr Carter was also a big spender as education and ethnic affairs minister.

His expenses during the first six months of last year included $83,000 in international travel, something not usually associated with the education portfolio.

However, Mr Carter said he was busy minister who made trips to places that were important sources of international students, like China and Vietnam.

"They were all approved by Cabinet and by the Prime Minister and, believe me, Helen Clark was a person who never wasted money," he told journalists outside his Auckland electorate office.

"I hope New Zealand and its $2.3 billion international education industry benefited from my active recruiting of international students as education minister."

Mr Carter yesterday broke a Labour caucus agreement that only Trevor Mallard, the party whips and the leader would comment on expenses.

He said the reason he did so by writing a blog was his concern over misinformation about the issue.

"There was malicious misinformation, not by the media, possibly by political opponents, that somehow Labour MPs are extravagant," he said.

After the blog, he had a talk with Mr Goff, who agreed he could speak to the media today.

Mr Carter said one or two of his colleagues might be upset that he had broken the agreement, but he would explain his reasons to them at the caucus meeting next week.

NZPA