Bishop defends using VIP jet from Perth

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has defended having a government jet fly empty to Perth to pick her up after a charity dinner she attended with her partner.

Ms Bishop said a commercial plane was unavailable when the pair left the West Australian Telethon at 11pm on October 18, and by flying overnight she was able to be back in Canberra at 6am for meetings.

"It is not a private jet, it is the government ministerial jet and I used it precisely as it is intended, to enable ministers to fulfil their ministerial responsibilities when commercial options are not available," she told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday.