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Federal officials spent more than half a million dollars on Airbnb rentals last year to quarantine government staff returning from overseas.

Officials defended the price tag during Senate Estimates in Canberra, arguing there were limited accommodation choices that met ACT COVID guidelines.

"We explored hotels and apartments knowing they would be lower-cost options, but they weren't agreed by the ACT Government due to the higher COVID risk," Home Affairs Deputy Secretary Justine Saunders told the hearing.

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Home quarantine was an option for some, but Airbnb was frequently used as an alternative.

One of the properties rented through the site was owned by a senior member of the Home Affairs Department, who pocketed close to $16,000.

The employee raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest, but Ms Saunders said the department proceeded anyway because it was the only "appropriate" property available.

"The advice I've had is at that time, there were actually no other properties available."

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Labor Senator Raff Ciccone was surprised by the claim.

"I find it amazing that out of all the ACT, there was only one property that fit the bill – and it just happened to be owned by a first assistant secretary, or someone of that ilk," he said.

Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo said he was considering a report into the matter, but was "satisfied" proper conduct had been followed.

A tightly-held beachside property in Sydney has sold for more than $10 million in a highlight sale of what was a bumper weekend in real estate across the country.

The three-bedroom 1950s built property on Calga Avenue in Bronte sold for $10.4 million, no doubt due its prominent location and substantial 465-square-metre block.

Now a deceased estate, the red-brick home still features the original bathroom and kitchen and presents "enormous scope for modern renovation", in the words of the agents who sold it.

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While the Bronte sale was a highlight, the past weekend saw no slowing down in the market with auction volumes jumping a huge 35.2 per cent from the week prior.

More than 2400 capital city homes went under the hammer, with a preliminary 75.7 per cent clearance rate proving a bountiful weekend for vendors.

Melbourne was the busiest city for auctions, hosting more than 1000, while 892 properties went under the hammer in Sydney.

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Data from property firm CoreLogic indicates that it was likely champagne was flowing in the harbour city.

"Sydney was host to 892 auctions this week, up from 600 the week prior and up 42.7 per cent compared to this time last year (625)," CoreLogic's Kaytlin Ezzy said.

"Despite the increase in volumes, Sydney recorded its highest preliminary clearance rate since late October, with 79.6 per cent of the 739 results collected so far returning a successful result."

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Despite the looming headwinds of interest rate hikes, many are noting that Australia's property market continues to thrive in the current economic conditions.

"To date, the 2022 auction market has been characterised by above average auction activity and an upward trend in clearance rates," CoreLogic research analyst Caitlin Fono said.

"This week was no exception with 2405 capital city homes going under the hammer, up 35.2 per cent from the week prior.

"Despite the above average auction volumes, clearance rates across the combined capitals have trended upwards to record the highest preliminary clearance rate since late November."

The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.

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New Zealand band Dragon has criticised Prime Minister Scott Morrison for using their cult classic song to "humanise" himself ahead of what is shaping up to be a tight federal election.

In last night's 60 Minutes, Mr Morrison was filmed with his family around the dinner table, strumming a ukulele while singing the smash hit song "April Sun in Cuba".

Today, in a stinging rebuke, Dragon accused Mr Morrison of dragging the band into the news for "all the wrong reasons" in what they claimed was a "cynical" act of electioneering designed to strike a chord with Australians.

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Dragon also used the statement to resurface criticism of Mr Morrison for taking a family holiday to Hawaii during the 2019-2020 bushfire crisis, where 34 people died and nearly 3000 homes were destroyed.

"It is a cynical move for a politician to co-opt music in an attempt to humanise themselves come election time," the band's statement said.

"Maybe if his trip to Hawaii had not been cut short, he could have learnt the lyrics to the rest of the chorus."

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In the clip, Mr Morrison repeats one line twice ("Take me to the April sun in Cuba, oh oh oh"), rather than progress the song along with the original lyrics.

Released in October 1977, "April Sun in Cuba" was penned by Paul Hewson and Marc Hunter of Dragon, two New Zealanders who were living in Australia in the late 1970s.

The song, which sold 50,000 copies and was gold certified, reached No.2 on the Australian charts and No.9 in New Zealand.

It has been a favourite on both sides of the Tasman for decades.

With a reputation as a good political campaigner, Mr Morrison has attracted some negative headlines in early 2022.

Last week he was criticised after being filmed shampooing a woman's hair at a hair salon in the Victorian town of Mount Eliza.

In 2019, Mr Morrison hit the campaign trail hard and pulled off a sensational win in the last federal election, when the polls and many political pundits had been predicting a Labor victory.

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