Taxpayers have been left to foot the hefty bill for hireage and repairs to a pair of toy sheep the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment ordered for their staff Christmas party last year.

“Taxpayers are being fleeced for inappropriate schoolboy antics at a government department,” says Labour economic development spokesperson, David Clark.

The cost of hiring the two toy sheep was $170, however the bill rose to $745 to cover repairs after they were damaged.

A sun-deck, TV screen, hair straightners and $800,000 on media monitoring have also been exposed as items purchased by the ministry.

MBIE chief financial officer, Iain Cossar, says he wasn’t at the party where the sheep were damaged.