Taxpayers have spent nearly $3.5 million in two years for a controversial program which gives Australia's major political parties cash for overseas study tours, networking and training events in countries including China, the US, Canada and Britain.

The Liberal and Labor parties are eligible for $1 million each year from the federal government's Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program, with the Greens allocated $200,000 annually.

New figures provided by the Department of Finance show the program cost taxpayers $1.76 million in 2014-15 and $1.68 million in 2015-16.

Labor claimed the most funds in the period, with a combined cost of $1.96 million, compared with $1.08 million for the Liberal Party and $400,000 for the Greens.