Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley has admitted buying a Gold Coast investment property during a taxpayer-funded trip to Queensland, but said the purchase was not planned.

Ms Ley's office has confirmed she bought the property after travelling to Brisbane in May 2015 for an announcement about subsidised drugs.

She then went to the Gold Coast for meetings with health stakeholders, and that is when the real estate deal was done.

Health Minister Sussan Ley. (AAP) (AAP)

"The property purchase was not planned nor anticipated," a spokeswoman for the minister said in a statement.

According to the Herald Sun , Ms Ley was travelling with her partner on the taxpayer-funded trip when she bought a $795,000 unit, with ocean views, at Main Beach.

The minister's spokeswoman said there was nothing untoward about Ms Ley's partner being present on the trip.

He had been invited to accompany Ms Ley to a function in Sydney the previous evening, and had travelled on to Queensland with her "under family travel arrangements".

"The Entitlements Management Branch was consulted at the time to confirm Ms Ley's partner's travel was within the rules. All travel undertaken was in accordance with the rules," the spokeswoman said.

Liberal frontbencher Greg Hunt defended his colleague.