Travel, food and drink

Booking travel and accommodation

In line with the University’s travel policy, all travel and accommodation bookings should be made through the Mandatory Travel Agent (MTA) where possible. This allows us to have reliable data on our flights and the significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions they create.

When using a Purchase Card to make a travel or accommodation booking is unavoidable, relevant University policy should be followed and correct supporting documentation should be collected and supplied for card coding purposes.

• Accommodation documentation should include a tax invoice. A booking confirmation is not an acceptable tax invoice/receipt.

Travelling with Purchase Cards

Staff who travel with Purchase Cards should be familiar with the Travel and Related Costs Policy and the Travel Planning Procedures.

• Travel and Travel Related Costs Policy
• Travel Planning Procedure

When travelling internationally, cardholders must notify the Purchase Card admin team with the travel dates and destination/s before departure, so that the card is not blocked unnecessarily by ANZ.

If the card’s credit limit has been exceeded, the cardholder will need to use personal funds to pay for any further costs, which can then be claimed back via the reimbursement process.

Food and drink

The University will pay for meals for staff who are travelling in the course of their work. Purchase Cards can be used to pay for food and drink, but spending must be in line with University Policy.

• Travel and Travel Related Costs Policy
• Sensitive Expenditure Procedure and Guidelines

Points to note:

• Where expenditure is incurred on behalf of a number of cardholders, and one of the cardholders is the supervisor of the other cardholders, then the expenditure must be charged to the Purchase Card of the supervisor.
• All names of attendees need to be recorded for meals that are paid for by the University.
• Meals must have a clear business purpose and be moderately priced. As a guide they should not exceed NZD$65 per head for dinner and NZD$45 per head for lunch. These amounts include beverages. Dollar values specified are in New Zealand dollars and inclusive of GST.
• Tipping in New Zealand will not be paid for or reimbursed.
• Mini-bar purchases will not be paid for or reimbursed.
• Where possible the venue for meals should be in University owned and catered premises
• Café meetings between staff (or between staff and students) will not be funded by the University