Government Ministers racked up a total credit card bill of more than $150,000 in less than two years, it was revealed yesterday.

Finance Minister Paula Cox said the $155,464 bill covered a 21-month period from April 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005 while another $77,610 was paid out in per diem travel expenses.

The credit card expenditure covers the Premier and ten Government Ministers who were conducting official business overseas, it was revealed in written answers to questions from the Opposition. Shadow Finance Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said taxpayers? money was being blown by Ministers on foreign trips with no accountability.

She pointed out the $77,610 was in addition to Minister?s salaries, the cost of air fares, hotel accommodation and meals that form part of their expense account paid for by the taxpayer, and which are included in the travel budget.

?This per diem is a sum certain set aside for ?incidentals? that a Minister may incur.

?It is not required to be accounted for and any portion of the per diem that is unused is not required to be reimbursed to the public purse.

?Therefore, this sum of $77,610 averages an extra $5,970 of additional salary taken by each Minister under the guise of travel.

?We recognise some Ministers may have had fewer trips than others and the actual amount of extra pay received by each Minister may vary, however, the public need to know their money is being thrown into a black hole of no return, with no requirement for accountability.?

She noted a further $155,464 was charged by Ministers on Government credit cards during that same period.

?We were told that this expense was attributed to the Premier and ten Ministers abroad on official business.

?We need to see a clearly articulated policy regarding credit cards so that a per diem is not used as extra income and legitimate charges to credit cards are not duplicated by way of a credit card charge and a per diem.?

Ms Cox?s figures reveal a further $5,923 was reimbursed to Ministers for expenses associated with their duties.

Last year the Auditor General called for Government credit cards to be revoked more often after highlighting widespread abuse, although his investigation didn?t point the finger at Ministers and covered 125 Government credit card users.