March 30, 2011

The New Zealand public is the loser of cuts to core government administration because cuts at the core ultimately impact on services, says the PSA.

“The latest capping figures on the core government administration issued today by the Minister of State Services Tony Ryall show that restructures at the Ministries of Health, Environment and Agriculture & Forestry have resulted in significant job losses,” says the public sector union’s National Secretary Brenda Pilott.

“This is cutting not capping. Those job losses come at a price and it’s ordinary New Zealanders who are paying it. Job losses cost in terms of redundancy payments and they result in fewer people doing the work required to deliver quality public services.

“We’re now at a tipping point. Public sector workers have been working longer and harder with fewer resources for some time. Despite the extra hours and efforts on their part the shortfall eventually impacts on services,” says Brenda Pilott.

“In a speech to public servants yesterday, the Minister of Finance Bill English said he supported smaller government. It’s time to come clean. How small is small and what figure of job cuts is the government aiming at?

“The minister says the government is directing resources to the frontline but this is misleading.

“As the Canterbury earthquake clearly demonstrated frontline services don’t get delivered to the right place at the right time without the support and expertise of those working behind the scenes.

“Today’s figures from the minister actually show fewer core administration job losses than six months ago but that’s because the absorption of the Food Safety Authority into the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry hides the true losses.

“New Zealand has one of the lowest public sector expenditures in the world. Tinkering with the public sector is not going to solve our private debt problem. That’s where the government needs to put its attention,” says Brenda Pilott.

ENDS

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