The Deputy Prime Minister has responded to criticism of her open letter to the New Zealand Herald, in which she called for service staff to be tipped.

Paula Bennett tweeted that tipping is a "meaningful way" to say thank you to service staff, and that she is not calling for it to be compulsory or replace wages. 

Ok not everyone likes tipping. I'm not suggesting it's compulsory, or replaces wages, or that we tip a %. It's a meaningful way to say thx

— Paula Bennett (@paulabennettmp) May 22, 2017

Ms Bennett, who is also Minister of Tourism, went public with her support for tipping, something that's not traditional in New Zealand, this morning.

In a letter to the New Zealand Herald's editor, Ms Bennett said she seconds a call for service staff to be tipped.

She thinks the service in New Zealand is good, and always tips for excellent service.

Ms Bennett is encouraging others to do the same too, if they want standards to continue to improve.

Read Deputy PM Paula Bennett's letter below:

I second the call for our service staff to be tipped. I always enjoy Matt Heath's view on a Monday morning for a bit of humour to start my week and found myself nodding in complete agreement this time. People come to NZ for our beautiful landscapes and beaches, they leave talking about the wonderful people they meet. Overall I think the service in NZ is good, I always tip for excellent service and encourage others to too if we want standards to continue to improve. Great waitstaff can make a good meal an excellent experience, say thank you with your wallet!

- Paula Bennett, Minister of Tourism