Big living Brandis

Who said being Minister for the Arts and Sport wasn't fun?

SENATOR George Brandis spent an average of $8000 of taxpayers' money a week on travel and entertainment in the last six months of 2007, figures show.

The Brisbane-based Liberal senator ran up a travel bill of more than $230,000 between July and December last year while he was arts and sports minister in the former coalition government, the Seven Network reported.

His spending almost matched former prime minister John Howard and then opposition leader Kevin Rudd, who spent $290,000 each while campaigning across Australia for the 2007 election.

Senator Brandis spent $72,000 on domestic airfares, $22,000 on accommodation and travel, $26,000 on Commcar costs and $62,000 on a seven-day trip to the US and Canada.

In a statement to Seven, Senator Brandis said his overseas trip was approved by the prime minister and was within ministerial and departmental guidelines.

One issue Malcolm Turnbull has to deal with is having a Shadow Cabinet who too often resemble slightly aging student politicians. Brandis' hijinks in what is a pretty junior ministry suggest teh problem set in during the late stages of the Howard years.