The Department of Labour (Māori: Te Tari Mahi) was a New Zealand public sector organisation tasked with improving the performance of the labour market and, through this, strengthening the economy and increasing the standard of living.

[1] The Department was established under the Liberal Government of New Zealand in 1891 as the Bureau of Industries with Edward Tregear as its sole employee.

[3] The Labour Department Act 1893 defined the general duties of and powers of the department, which were to administer the labour laws, acquire and disseminate knowledge of occupations with a view to improving relations between employers and workers, and collect and publish information on industries and rates of wages.

Publication ended in April 1917, after which some of the Department's statistics appeared in the Government Statistician's Monthly Abstract.

[6] Employment New Zealand is the brand name for the part of the MBIE responsible for overseeing the former functions of the Department of Labour.