Labour leader Phil Goff says the Government is being hypocritical by calling for people to be careful with money while ministers "spend up large" on themselves.

"In the first three months of this year National Ministers spent $739,000 on travel, more than double the $336,000 Labour ministers spent in the same period in 2008," he said.

"It's straight hypocrisy for the Government to call for others to exercise restraint while applying a different standard for themselves."

Mr Goff said Prime Minister John Key had doubled the number of ministerial staffers earning more than $100,000 a year and approved the hiring of consultants on rates of up to $2000 a day.

"In a mean-minded act the Government has also taken away $2.5 million funding for severely disabled children at school which may make it impossible for some children to continue to attend school."

Mr Goff said he was dealing with distraught mothers and concerned teachers about the damage the cuts were causing.

"This shows just how out of touch the Government is with the people it is hurting and the perverse priorities it is following in cutting help to the most vulnerable while spending more on itself."