MHRs and senators are entitled to claim domestic and overseas travel, as well as a travel allowance and travel for family members. They're also able to claim office administration and facilities, as well as telecommunications and transport costs.

The latest data from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority shows Senator Urquhart, who is an Opposition Whip in the Senate and has been a senator since 2010, coming out on top over all of her Tasmanian colleagues in Canberra in terms of travel costs.

Senator Urquhart spent a total of $40,785 on travel-related expenses in the October-December period of 2018. On domestic travel, she spent $19,004 and claimed $14,587 in travel allowance.

The Ulverstone-based senator spent 44 nights in hotels over those three months, staying in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart. On these trips, Senator Urquhart carried out a mix of parliamentary, official, party and outside electorate duties.

The majority of her travel was to Canberra for parliamentary duties.

Liberal senator and newly anointed minister Richard Colbeck was second among the state's 17 representatives in Canberra when it came to travel expenditure, spending 39 nights in hotels and claiming $37,810 worth of costs.

Senator Colbeck embarked on trips to capital cities like Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, as well as places like Birtinya and Thursday Island, performing a range of duties.

Independent Clark MHR Andrew Wilkie had the most total expenditure ($128,485), including travel.

Mr Wilkie claimed close to the least amount on travel ($11,223) of all Tasmanian federal MPs, but claimed a total of $78,751 for office, printing, employee and other costs.

Independents are entitled to additional staff due to their lack of party support. Mr Wilkie's office is in Hobart, making his rent higher than some other MPs'.

Tasmanian Greens senator Nick McKim claimed the least for total expenses ($70,630), while Tasmanian Labor senator Helen Polley was the only federal parliamentarian from the state to travel overseas, attending parliamentary delegations in France, Belgium, Estonia, Romania and Switzerland at a cost of $13,759 to the public purse.

Deputy Nationals leader Bridget McKenzie, a senator for Victoria, earned the ignominious honour of having claimed the most for travel of all federal parliamentarians in the period, spending 78 nights in hotels and racking up a total of about $73,900 in claims.