Department of Labour employees are being accused of wasting time downloading thousands of illicit applications, including games, on their work computers.
An email obtained by the Dominion Post from the department's chief executive (business service group) Craig Owen said more than 2000 "unsupported, unlicensed and unauthorised" software applications had been loaded on to the department's computers.
The unlicenced software, which included 400 games, exposed the IT system to virus threats and malicious software, Mr Owen said.
Labour Party labour spokesman Trevor Mallard said the email suggested the staff were playing games when they should have been working.
"I don't know of any part of the Department of Labour that doesn't have a lot of work to do."
Internet safety company Watchdog managing director Peter Mancer warned that if malicious software was accidentally downloaded, it could crash the system that could result in a costly rebuild.
Labour Department information and communications technology director Stephen Fox said some of the applications were work-related and nobody had been reprimanded over the downloads.
