Finance Minister Mathias Cormann personally asked Andrew Burnes, the Liberal Party’s chief fundraiser and managing director of the government's travel contractor, Helloworld, to book three separate return family trips to Singapore.

Senator Cormann was grilled about his relationship with the Liberal’s honorary treasurer in a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday after The Age and Sydney Morning Herald revealed how the minister had not been charged for Singapore flights Mr Burnes had booked for him and his family in 2017.

Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann during a Senate estimates hearing at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

“I made a booking through Helloworld engaging with Mr Burnes, that is right,” Senator Cormann said, adding that he had known the businessman for at least seven years and regarded him as a friend after being introduced by former treasurer Joe Hockey.

Senator Cormann released a statement on Tuesday saying Helloworld had acknowledged an “administrative error” was the reason his credit card was not charged the $2700 for the flights booked in July 2017 and taken in January 2018.