Senior Liberal minister Christopher Pyne has defended his Labor counterpart Tony Burke against claims he flew his partner, then a staffer, first-class to Barcelona.

In 2009, then-agriculture minister Mr Burke charged taxpayers $48,951 for a six-day ministerial trip to Europe, including flights for senior staffer Skye Laris, The Australian reported.

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Rather than taking the opportunity to criticise his opponent, Mr Pyne said there was no proof Mr Burke had broken any rules.

“If people stay within the rules, you can’t criticise them,” he told the Nine Network on Friday morning.

Mr Pyne was himself forced to defend an expense claim as part of the ongoing saga. In 2013, he claimed $7000 to fly his family business class to Canberra to watch him be sworn in at Parliament.

“I don’t see any great benefit of having a running commentary on MPs’ entitlements,” he said.

Tony Burke previously admitted his decision to claim taxpayer money to fly his children business class to Uluru in 2012 was “beyond community expectations”.

The controversy’s first scalp was the Speakership of Bronwyn Bishop, who is yet to be replaced.

-with AAP.