The head of the Ministry of Maori Development will pay back the taxpayer money he spent on flying his wife to fashion and sports events in Auckland.

Te Puni Kokiri chief executive Leith Comer spent more than $1000 on the taxpayer for flights and accommodation for his wife to attend a Style Pasifika event during the Rugby World Cup, and the Maori Sports Awards, in Auckland last year, Fairfax NZ reports.

It comes at a time when Te Puni Kokiri is looking to slash about 50 jobs.

A Te Puni Kokiri spokeswoman told NZ Newswire on Tuesday evening that Mr Comer would pay back the money as soon as possible.

However, State Services Minister Jonathan Coleman has already asked State Services Commissioner Iain Rennie to take the issue up with Mr Comer.

"I think it is for Mr Comer to explain how he would justify this spending at a time when TPK are looking at redundancies," Mr Coleman says.

"I think it's an issue of judgement and the question is whether good judgement has been exercised and on the face of that, I'd have to say, I have some concerns about that."

Mr Comer told Fairfax NZ he felt it was expected that his wife would join him at events.

"It's an expectation that I think is reasonable - that I invite senior stake holders along with their wife and I think it's appropriate for me to take my wife."

Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples defended Mr Comer's stance.

"In the Maori world, you're often expected to turn up with your wife when you're hosting other guest with their wives - it's a natural thing."

However, he said it could be a bad look at a time when jobs at Te Puni Kokiri were being cut.

Whether Mr Comer should have paid for his wife's travel himself was "the big question", Dr Sharples says.