New Zealand Trade and Enterprise has given away more than $30,000 worth of greenstone to its employees, and Labour's not happy about it.

Labour's Trade and Export Growth spokesman David Clark said it's not the first time one of Minister Steven Joyce's agencies has been in the spotlight for extravagant expenses.

Last year $140,000 was spent on a TV screen, and hair straighteners were purchased for bathrooms.

Clark said while from time to time gifts for employees are a good way of saying thank you - this is over the top.

"I think recognising long service or particularly special service for an individual is something that happens from time to time, but giving an entire ministry a piece of jewellery does seem extravagant."

NZTE chief executive Peter Chrisp disagreed.

He said an independent review in 2015 found that NZTE had made a "fast-paced and very effective transformation" since a poor review in 2011.

Over that period, annual revenue growth among the export companies it worked with rose from $21 billion to $30 billion.

"High employee engagement was key to those improved measures and to say thank you we presented all our staff with a small pendent carved from a single piece of Ngai Tahu pounamu stone."

He said highly motivated staff produced better results, and recognising effort was a simple way of motivating people.

The financial review document said that the agency changed its policy last year to only give gifts to staff who had been at the agency for 15 years or more.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said NZTE had a highly dedicated staff who had improved the export sector's performance significantly.

He said it was "laughable" for Labour to claim the Government had been wasteful when it had reduced overall office space and cut the headcount across the public sector.