A South Australian government minister charged taxpayers more than $5700 for a charter flight last year in spending reminiscent of Bronwyn Bishop's infamous helicopter flight, the state opposition says.
Opposition frontbencher Tom Koutsantonis says Primary Industries Minister Tim Whetstone took the charter flight from Whyalla to Ceduna in September for a trip that would have taken between four and five hours by car.
But Treasurer Rob Lucas says the government has actually slashed spending by ministers on travel and entertainment compared to the previous Labor administration.
He has described the opposition's criticism of Mr Whetstone's flight as a "silly season" story.
"The government actually announced in the budget that we were cutting $19 million over the next four years in the cost of ministerial offices," Mr Lucas told reporters on Wednesday.
"So the new government has demonstrated frugality in relation to spending in ministers' offices."
The treasurer said in the case of Mr Whetstone, the minister was conducting a regional tour as part of his responsibilities and the charter flight was the only way he could meet his commitments.
"Identifying five or six thousand dollars in relation to this particular expenditure is minor compared to a $19 million saving," he said.
But Mr Koutsantonis questioned how Mr Whetstone could justify the "extravagance".
"This is reminiscent of (former federal speaker) Bronwyn Bishop's infamous helicopter trip from Melbourne to a golf course near Geelong costing $5227," he said.
Ms Bishop repaid the money and resigned as speaker after charging the public for the flight to a party fundraiser.
Mr Koutsantonis said it was important for the premier and ministers to visit all parts of the state and sometimes charter flights were necessary.
"However, the cost of Mr Whetstone's 445-kilometre flight is just obscene," he said.
