Labour is again having to fend off criticism about spending habits at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples.

The National Party has slammed the ministry for spending nearly $53,000 on four post-budget breakfast events in May, at an average cost of $76 per head.

It comes after the Public Service commissioner criticised the Ministry in August, after it spent nearly $40,000 on a farewell for its departing chief executive last year.

RNZ reporter Jemima Huston spoke to Charlotte Cook.