IT HAS been dubbed "toner-gate" - a three-week, $300,000 splurge on printer ink by Liberal MPs to stock up on office supplies for the pending federal election.

After being told in September 2009 that a strict finance cap would be introduced from October 1 that year, Opposition members ordered $267,288 worth of printer cartridge toner, according to documents obtained through Freedom of Information.

With the election almost a year away, some Liberal figures claimed they were told by party HQ to be "ruthless" ordering taxpayer-funded supplies ahead of the campaign.

One Liberal MP, West Australian Don Randall, ordered $25,414.68 of toner cartridges for his office printer, while South Australian Patrick Secker spent $21,797.74.

Deputy Speaker Peter Slipper spent $19,280.83 while ex-Liberal Michael Johnson ordered $18,640.86 for his office - enough to fund a marginal seat's campaign.

Despite its parliamentary majority of 18, Labor MPs spent $127,488 in the same period - less than half what the Coalition spent.

Among other big spenders, senior Liberal frontbencher Chris Pyne ordered $9519.91 worth of printer toner while Michael Keenan, the shadow justice minister, spent $12,253.90.

Tasmanian Senator Guy Barnett, who headed the Liberal's WasteWatch group before last year's election, ordered nearly $14,000 of toner.

By contrast, Labor frontbencher Julie Collins ordered $9397.65 while Queensland MP Grahame Perrett spent just over $7000.

MPs order toner for office printers at a "discount", with individual cartridges priced between $27 and $350 each.

The toner blitz triggered alarm bells at the Finance Department, with Special Minister of State Joe Ludwig warning of "uncharacteristically large orders for office requisites in the lead up to the introduction of the yearly cap".

Prior to the cap, federal MPs and senators could spend unlimited amounts on office consumables such as printer toner and A4 paper.

From October 1, 2009, until June 30 last year, MPs were limited to $26,178.

Mr Johnson, expelled from the Liberal National Party in May, 2010, claimed he was "told to be ruthless" by LNP officials to ensure he had plentiful supplies for the election. "As a member of the marginal seats campaign, I did what I was told to do, as instructed by the LNP," Mr Johnson said.

Mr Secker said his office was forced to order new toner for an upgraded colour printer.

Defending his $21,797.74 order, he said it was part of an "Electorate Office entitlement which is put to good use to assist the community".

Mr Slipper said "our supply of consumables was down to almost zero" due to moving his office.