The January to March data, released by the Independent Parliamentary Expense Authority (IPEA), showed the former deputy prime minister spent $78,471 on employee costs and $36,248 on office facilities.

Mr Joyce’s other largest expense was printing and communications, coming in at more than $57,000.

Mr Joyce’s spending is down on the previous quarter, September to December 2017, which totalled more than $230,000.

The IPEA is still yet to finalise its independent audit in to the spending of Mr Joyce and his former media advisor and current partner Vikki Campion.

RELATED ARTICLES

The watchdog says Mr Joyce has responded to 79 questions while Ms Campion had responded to “approximately 57 questions”, however the IPEA won’t reveal how long the audit will take.

“At this time the audit remains ongoing and we are unable to provide a timeframe for completion,” an IPEA spokesperson said.

“To comment on any particular matter that may or may not be under consideration may compromise the conduct and outcome of any audit and the privacy rights of individuals.”

Mr Joyce said the issue had been “investigated to death,” in the pair’s paid TV interview

Mr Joyce is on personal leave, following the passing of his brother, Tim Joyce, last weekend.