The Mapp Report
Getting Bureaucracy Under Control

Just about everyday, people say to me they want the bureaucrats back under control.

This week, John Key announced that a National Government will halt the growth of the core government bureaucracy. Instead, National will direct government spending towards the delivery of front-line services and staff, such as teachers, nurses, social workers, and police.

National believes it is time to stop the growth in bureaucracy we have seen over the past eight years of this Labour Government. It’s time to focus public spending on front-line services that make a real difference in people’s lives, rather than paper-shuffling and report-writing that does not. We will cut out the low-quality spending that goes on in the state sector and let New Zealanders keep more of their own money.

Growth out of control
Over the past eight years, the bureaucracy has grown out of all proportion to those parts of the state sector that actually serve the public. The bureaucracy has become so bloated that since 2000 it has been the fastest growing sector in the economy.

Since 2000 the number of bureaucrats has grown from 26,200 to 36,000. That growth in numbers represents an increase of 37%. And yet, over the same period, the number of other state sector employees (nurses, police officers, teachers) grew by only 10%. In addition, the number of jobs as a whole grew by 22%, which means bureaucrats in Wellington are increasing as a proportion of the total New Zealand workforce. We now have a situation where 1 in 50 workers in the economy is a bureaucrat.

Strengthening the front-line
National is not going to reduce the number of public sector front-line staff. This should be absolutely clear – under National, the numbers of doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, police, and other front-line staff will grow.

Instead, a National Government will cap the size of the core bureaucracy. We are going to make do with the resources we have, and work to get more value out of them.

The simple fact is that we already have enough bureaucrats to do the job and National believes that the priority for resources in the state sector should be the delivery of front-line services.

Over the last eight years Labour has created ever more committees and hired ever more policy analysts. The next National Government will focus on growing services to the public, not employing more people in Wellington.

It’s time to bring some much needed discipline into public spending and that’s what a National Government will do.

14 March 2008

EVENTS

COCKTAIL EVENING

Thursday 27 March 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Jonmer Boardroom

Guest Speaker - Judy Kirk (President of the NZ National Party)

Call 486 0005 for more information.

PUBLIC MEETING – HEALTH CRISIS

Monday 21 April
7.30pm – 10.00pm

Guest Speaker – Hon Tony Ryall (National’s Health Spokesman)

North Harbour Netball Centre, Northcote Road

Call 486 0005 for more information.

SUPERBLUES LUNCH

Monday 5 May
12.30pm – 2.00pm

Guest Speaker – Dr Jackie Blue (National’s Women’s Affairs Spokeswoman)

Taitamariki Guide Hall, Auburn Street, Takapuna

Dr Wayne Mapp
For more information on National visit www.national.org.nz or have a say at www.johnkey.co.nz

Visit my website for more information at: www.waynemapp.co.nz
The Mapp Report is published weekly. Please feel free to pass on to anyone interested.

ENDS

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