If Public Sector CEOs Are Going To Share The Job, They Should Share The Pay

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says that suggestions that Te Pūkenga should have two chief executives in order to follow a co-governance model are absurd, but if they are taken seriously, should be contingent on the CEs sharing the one salary.

“Te Pūkenga does not need two chief executives to ‘job share’ and taxpayers certainly shouldn’t be paying for it,” Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, says.

“If Te Pūkenga must have separate Māori and non-Māori chief executives to ‘co-govern’, the salary should be split.

"Te Pūkenga already plan to implement co-governance and double-up leadership at a regional level. This means double the bureaucracy and double salaries at the highest regional levels. This seems to be an increasingly common practice across public service.

“The public service has ballooned in size in the past five years. No wonder when proposals like this are being taken seriously. Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for departments and agencies that decide they want to have co-governance structures with dual chief executives based on race.

“Doubling up on the most highly-paid senior positions is an expense that cannot be justified, and will not result in better public services.”
 

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