Stuart Robert told Defence Department about 2014 China visit after returning to Australia

Turnbull Government minister Stuart Robert waited until after he returned to Australia to inform departmental chiefs of a controversial trip to China, Senate estimates has heard.

Mr Robert was assistant defence minister when he visited China in 2014.

Mr Robert maintains it was a private visit, despite meeting with senior Chinese officials, as well as witnessing a mining deal with a Liberal Party donor.

Defence Secretary Dennis Richardson told a Senate estimates hearing he was informed of the private trip shortly after Mr Robert returned home.

"Following his return to Australia, Minister Robert asked his office to advise the department who he had met in China," Mr Richardson said.

Current Defence Minister Marise Payne told the committee she would also ask for clarification into whether Mr Robert took his departmental phone to China, or any other official devices.

It comes as travel entitlement reports show Mr Robert claimed almost $900 in expenses to travel to Sydney the day before his personal leave began.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet confirmed Mr Robert was on approved personal leave from August 15 to August 22, 2014.

On August 14, Mr Robert claimed air fares from Coolangatta to Sydney for $449.92 and travel allowance for his time in Sydney on "official business" of $432.

Mr Robert also claimed the use of a COMCAR in Brisbane and Sydney on the same day, totalling $139.10.

A week later, Mr Robert charged taxpayers more than $10,000 in overseas travel to attend the Singapore-Australia Joint Ministerial meeting and the Defence Ministers' Dialogue in Singapore from August 21 to August 23, 2014.

Those dates overlapped with his personal leave dates.

Mr Robert is currently Human Services Minister.

(Source :abc.net.au)

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