The confidential Government document that likely landed in the hands of the media through an Oranga Tamariki staff member's mistake, did not need to be sent to the agency in the first place according to the Workplace Relations Minister Brooke van Velden.

An MBIE investigation into the incident found a confidential Cabinet paper, sent to Oranga Tamariki and 19 other agencies, regarding repealing Fair Pay Agreements was leaked. It was accidentally sent to a union representative from an Oranga Tamariki worker and then leaked to media.

The document being sent to other agencies was part of standard Government practice but Van Velden admitted she had questioned whether Oranga Tamariki needed to be privy to the information.

"In this case, I don't think it was necessary for the document to be sent to such a wide range of agencies," she told The Mike Hosking Breakfast with Tim Dower.

"That is something I hope the Cabinet will look into in the coming years, about how we treat sensitive information and at what point people should have access, at what time, to that information."

Van Velden said in the case of this particular document there would have been a range of agencies that needed to be consulted due to the normal Cabinet process. This means other agencies were selected on merit to receive the information.

"I don't believe that's been perfect in this particular example."

The minister did state she was willing to give government staff the benefit of the doubt but also saw the incident as a cautionary tale for distributing sensitive material between agencies.

MBIE's investigation discovered an Oranga Tamariki staff member was at the centre of the incident when it found the agency had the only discrepancy. It found the worker had breached privacy by sending an email to a national union representative with the document attached.

It wasn't possible to draw a direct link between the union representative and the media's reporting of the document, Van Velden said, but the facts were before those investigating and the Government considered the case closed.

Tim Dower asked Van Velden if there would be any repercussions for the worker responsible for the leak.

"I don't think it's responsible for me as a minister to talk about individual employment matters of every staff member within government, that's for the chief executive of Oranga Tamariki [to decide]," she said.

However, the minister did go on to say that during her short time in office, she'd met with a "very large number of very diligent public servants," she acknowledged the work they'd been carrying out.

In particular, she praised their efforts on the Fair Pay Agreement repeal, which was only introduced when the newly-elected Government entered Parliament and required a complete turnaround on previously drafted policy.

Van Velden said any breach of privacy would be considered disappointing.

"But not because it disappoints me as a person but because it disappoints all New Zealanders," she said.

"[They] want to know that the people they elected to be [in] government have the ability for free and frank information, for advice from parliament and for processes to be followed because that upholds democracy."

The sudden change in direction and agenda for those serving in particular government agencies would be challenging and cause some to grow upset, Van Velden said, she stressed those in public service were doing well on the whole with the shifts.

But she called out anybody who would consider themselves "a hero ... working against the government" through leaking confidential information or otherwise.

"Most New Zealanders I talk to want the government of the day to access information, to ask questions and to be given the space to develop policies that will benefit all New Zealanders," she said.

"We can't do that if every document is being seen publicly."

Asked what public servants should do if they don't like particular changes in direction, Van Velden said it was a matter of workers learning to put themselves last.

"It's what I do as a person as well - I like to think every decision I'm making whether it's in the best interest of New Zealand, the best interest of the people who elected me and the party who elected me, and the government overall," she said.

"It's not about every individual and their opinion, it's about how do we get the best out of this government, how do we get the best for the people who elected this democratic government."