NSW finance minister welcomes rort inquiry NSW Finance Minister Greg Pearce says he welcomes an inquiry into whether he rorted ministerial travel guidelines during a private trip to Canberra. Premier Barry O'Farrell has ordered an investigation into his minister's taxpayer-funded trip to the capital, which took place on the same day Mr Pearce was ejected from parliament on suspicion of being intoxicated. As a media frenzy erupted on Monday, Mr Pearce travelled to Canberra to attend drinks hosted by Liberal party powerbroker Michael Photios. While his office said the minister was "off sick," Mr Pearce reportedly said he was visiting a housing development and his office must be "confused." He later said he had travelled for a private function and then pulled out, even though his flights and accommodation were booked by the state government. Mr O'Farrell, who is in China, has ordered an investigation into whether Mr Pearce breached ministerial travel guidelines. Mr Pearce said on Thursday he paid for the trip when he returned. In a statement, he welcomed the inquiry and said he would "fully cooperate" with the investigator, Mr O'Farrell's chief bureaucrat Chris Eccles. Mr Pearce said he looked forward to the inquiry's findings and would not be commenting further while the investigation was underway. The NSW opposition says Mr Pearce should front the media and explain the conflicting accounts and, if he can't, he should be sacked from cabinet. Mr Pearce has already been warned by Mr O'Farrell this week following accusations he'd been drunk in parliament. The minister had to be assisted from the house during debate on victims' compensation legislation last Thursday.