Acting Prime Minister Bill English says the public needs to "get over itself" when it comes to the issue of damaged model sheep.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment hired two sheep at a cost of $85 each for a Christmas party, but were forced to pay hundreds more after they were damaged.
Mr English told the Paul Henry programme he is not worried.
"This is an organisation that is saving $9.5 million a year, and frankly if they can't run a Christmas party for the kids then they don't value their staff," he says.
"I'm not concerned about it. If the sheep were damaged, then they have to be fixed – what were they meant to do? Take them back to the hire company with a bit of damage from the kids?"
Mr English says the sheep were not inflatable ones.
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