Malcolm Turnbull's travel allowance claim for free accommodation during a visit to remote indigenous communities in South Australia has been brushed off as an administrative error.
The prime minister had claimed $1130 for two nights in Umuwa and Scotdesco in October, which included accommodation provided free, News Corp Australia reported on Friday.
The accommodation at Umuwa was paid for by the SA government and the lodging at Scotdesco costs just $60 a person.
However, cabinet minister Christopher Pyne said Mr Turnbull was "perfectly entitled to make the claim".
"The problem was he wasn't issued with an invoice. He has asked for an invoice [from the SA government]. He will pay the invoice correctly. It's an administrative issue and not a big story," he told Nine Network.
Mr Pyne also said Mr Turnbull's travel allowances claim would have been done by his office rather than him personally.
Labor frontbencher Anthony Albanese said either Mr Turnbull or his office had made a mistake.
"They need to fix it up," he told Nine Network.
The cost for accommodating four people in Umuwa is understood to be $360.
A spokesman for Mr Turnbull said the prime minister's office "acted within the rules at all times".
