Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has defended using taxpayers' money to attend the AFL grand final for a fourth year in a row, calling it a "significant international event".

Ms Bishop - who is often criticised for attending sporting events such as football and polo on the public purse - says she travelled to Melbourne for other reasons but was invited to the final by the AFL and her travel was all within parliamentary entitlements.

"The AFL is a significant international event and I support political leaders - the Prime Minister and Bill Shorten and others - attending the AFL grand final to show our support for this game and for the organisation," she told the ABC's Insiders program.

"As Foreign Minister I work very closely with the AFL in our aid program, bringing the AFL sport to the Asia-Pacific. It is part of our aid program in the Pacific island nations. I was invited in my official capacity as a partner of the AFL and I was pleased to attend."