FIRST ON 7: Political party executives are being accused of having their "snouts in the trough" with millions of dollars in AusAID funding being spent on foreign junkets.

A 7News investigation has found lucrative travel perks allowing unelected officials to travel on taxpayers' money.

AusAID's charter is to help those who need it most, but 7News can reveal the aid agency is handing over millions to send political party officials on all-expenses-paid trips around the world.

AusAID wants to spend funds helping people in Africa, the Asia Pacific, and South America.

But the Liberal and Labor parties spend it travelling to London, New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Brazil, Ireland, Canada, Beijing, Madrid and Athens.

Independent MP, Nick Xenophon, says it doesn’t sound right.

"This has a snouts in the trough smell to it, there should be public outrage about AusAID money being spent in this way," Mr Xenophon said.

It's done under the secretive Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program, both are given a million dollars each year, and half can go to first-world country visits.

World Vision CEO, Tim Costello, says $2 million can put a lot of children through school.

"[It] can literally save a number of lives - in the hundreds," Reverend Tim Costello said.

Documents reveal Labor sent national secretary Karl Bitar to China on the public purse in 2010, while New South Wales powerbroker Luke Foley went to the UK and Ireland, and state party supremo Sam Dastyari was sent to Indonesia.

In one frenzied 10-month period, Labor spent almost $200,000 dollars on 33 party members visiting international colleagues.

The Liberals also enjoy their overseas jaunts; one delegation including former prime minister John Howard, federal director Brian Loughnane and former president Shane Stone, spent $70,000 attending a Democratic Union meeting in London.

Sending Mr Stone on nine trips cost taxpayers 94,000, while taxpayers forked out $108,000 on six trips for Mr Loughnane.

It included sending Mr Stone and his wife Peta Credlin, Tony Abbott's chief of staff, on a two-week New Year's trip to America for bilateral talks with the Democrats.

Around $10 million has been spent by the parties 'promoting democracy' since 2006, and they will be given another $4 million dollars before current funding runs out next year.

Here are all of the documents obtained by 7News under the Freedom of Information Act;

Annual Work Plan Application - ALP 2010-11
ALP Grant Agreement Deed - 15 January 2010
Annual Work Plan Application - ALP 2011-12
Annual Activity Statement - ALP 2012-13
ALP Grant Agreement Deed - 31 Jul 2012
LP Annual Work Plan - 2010-11
LP Annual Work Plan - 2011-12
LP Grant Agreement Deed - 31 Jul 2012
AG Grant Agreement Deed - 19 April 2011

Annual Work Plan - Greens 2011-12

AG Annual Activity Statement - 2012-13
AG Grant Agreement Deed - 31 July 2012
APPDP review report 2011 - final
ALP Interim Acquittal Feb 2010 - Oct 2010
ALP Progress Report 2010
ALP Interim Acquittal non-ODA 30 June 2011
ALP Interim Acquittal ODA 30 June 2011
ALP Progress Report July-Oct 2011
ALP Interim Acquittal non-ODA July - Dec 2011

ALP Interim Acquittal ODA July-Dec 2011

ALP Progress Report July-Dec 2011
ALP Non-ODA Program Progress Report July-Oct 2011
ALP Non-ODA Program Progress Report July-Dec 2011
ALP Interim Acquittal non-ODA Jan-April 2012
ALP Interim Acquittal ODA Jan-April 2012
ALP audited statement of accounts
LP Acquittal 09-10FY and 10-11FY - 7 June 2011
LP Acquittal 09-10 FY 10-11FY and 11-12FY - 1 May 2012
letter Liberal to AusAID Aquittal

letter liberal to ausaid work programs

AG Program Completion Report April 2011- June 2012
[AG Program Completion Report April 2011 - October 2012
AG Interim Acquittal April - Oct 2011
AG Independent Auditor's report on the Final Acquittal August 2012
Email APPDP Classes of travel and other matters
APPDP Travel Policy
Notes for ALP telecon 15 Dec
Email Australian political parties for development agreement
Draft Revised APPDP grant deed and Guidlines update

annotated Email Liberal to AusAid23 May

Email Draft APPDP agreement
Email Australian political parties for development agreement
Email AusAID to Liberal 24 May
Draft Email APPDP update (ALP)
Email APPDP update
Email two questions on APPDP
Email Further amendments to APPD
Email APPDP update
Email AAPPDP update following phone conversation