After UK billionaire businessman Sunjeev Gupta purchased the Arrium steelworks at Whyalla, former SA treasurer Tom Koutsantonis spent almost $75,000 of taxpayer funds to travel to England to meet and greet executives.

Key points: Tom Koutsantonis's 10-day trip included $51,000 in business class flights and an English Premier League game

Tom Koutsantonis's 10-day trip included $51,000 in business class flights and an English Premier League game Ministerial expenses came under fire after the Premier attended a retreat with Anthony "The Mooch" Scaramucci on the Gold Coast

Ministerial expenses came under fire after the Premier attended a retreat with Anthony "The Mooch" Scaramucci on the Gold Coast Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas was also quizzed over business dinner expenses including $32 on oysters

Premier Steven Marshall branded the 10-day trip to England, Wales and the US as an "extraordinarily expensive trip" in State Parliament last week as ministerial expenses came under fire.

Documents revealed the September 2017 trip included $51,000 on business class flights for Mr Koutsantonis and two staffers, $400 on laundry services and almost $800 on chauffers.

It also included watching an English Premier League game between Liverpool and Burnley from the Legends Lounge, which was personally-funded.

"The purpose of the trip was to meet Simec and Gupta Family Group executives, partners and investors as well as tour the group's businesses after their successful purchase of Arrium," documents stated.

"The minister represented the premier at a climate change conference in New York and met with energy experts. [He] toured Tesla's giga factory and had high-level meetings with both Tesla and Solar Reserve."

In Parliament on Thursday, Mr Marshall was quizzed about his appearance at a leadership retreat on the Gold Coast, where one of America's most controversial characters, Anthony "The Mooch" Scaramucci, was the key speaker.

Mr Scaramucci — a long-time friend of US President Donald Trump — was White House communications director for just 10 days.

Premier shifts heat to Opposition's oyster expenses

The Premier was asked how much his stay at the Palazzo Versace Gold Coast cost taxpayers and what benefit it provided the state.

The Premier told the Opposition Leader he hoped the oysters eaten were South Australian. ( Flickr: Tim Evanson )

Mr Marshall did not disclose the cost of accommodation but said he stayed in a "room" rather than a suite or condominium.

The cost of a room at the Palazzo Versace ranges from $400 to $3,000 a night.

When pushed further about the Gold Coast trip, Mr Marshall responded: "I will tell you what I didn't claim as an expense — going out for oysters, as recently appeared on the Leader of the Opposition's information that he provided from his office's expenses."

"Office expenses that have recently been reported by the Leader of the Opposition's office include oysters at The Maid.

"What were they like? Did you have them Kilpatrick or were they natural?

"I hope they were from Coffin Bay.

"There was also another office expense that the Leader of the Opposition … put on the taxpayers of South Australia recently."

Speaker Vincent Tarzia then cut Mr Marshall off, asking him to get to the "substance of the question".

Mr Marshall responded: "I was interested to note that the Leader of the Opposition is billing taxpayers for sushi and Vietnamese rolls as office expenses."

Premier Steven Marshall stayed at the Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast last weekend. ( ABC Gold Coast: Damien Larkins )

Opposition says benefits of UK trip are 'clear'

Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas stated in his April 2019 Ancillary Office Expenditure report that he spent $30 on Vietnamese rolls at Sit Lo, $33 at Sushi Kintaro and $82 at the Maid and Magpie Hotel, including $32 on oysters.

All expenses were listed as "business meetings".

In Parliament, Mr Marshall said he was "very happy" to put his and his Government's travel costs up against "those opposite".

He then mentioned the "extraordinarily expensive trip" taken by Mr Koutsantonis in September 2017.

"It was $74,500," he said.

In a statement, an Opposition spokesman said the benefits of the 2017 trip to meet Gupta Family Group executives was "clear given the significant investments made by Sunjeev Gupta in South Australia".

"It is unclear what benefit taxpayers received from Premier Steven Marshall staying at the six-star Palazzo Versace Hotel on the Gold Coast just last week," he said.

"The key person the Premier met was The Mooch, who was Donald Trumps' communications director for 10 days."

Mr Gupta took over the Arrium steelworks on September 1, 2017.