10 September 2009
Media Statement

Enough of the smoke and mirrors Mr Ryall

State Services Minister Tony Ryall should quit his smoke and mirrors act and admit that his claim of shifting public services resources to the frontline is political puffery, Labour’s State Services spokesperson Grant Robertson said today.

“The Minister is on the back foot and has today tried to cover up the fact that frontline public sector jobs are being axed,” Grant Robertson said.

“The 54 jobs recently announced being cut from MAF Biosecurity were frontline jobs. They were biosecurity officers keeping watch of our borders from biological threats. We have also seen jobs lost in Child Youth and Family, Fisheries, Conservation, many in regional towns. Most New Zealanders would say that those are frontline services.

“But Mr Ryall today claims no frontline public service jobs have been lost. So what is frontline then Minister? I’m sure the biosecurity officers who are about to lose their jobs will tell you they weren’t ‘backroom’.

"It is clear Mr Ryall is simply making up his definition of frontline services. During the Budget process I asked a number of Ministers if they had a definition of who were frontline staff in their department, and they could not answer."

Grant Robertson says National’s election promise to cap and not cut the public service was nothing more than PR spin.

“The cap is nothing more than a false measure designed to allow National to cut public services. We are all looking for public services to be as efficient and effective as possible. Sadly Tony Ryall is obsessed with cutting staff numbers rather than ensuring Kiwis get the services they need.

“Mr Ryall's triumphant tone is an insult to the public servants and their families who have lost their jobs. These are real people who have lost their income and job security. Presiding over the loss of more than 1400 positions in a recession is actually not something to be proud of.

“The fact is frontline public service jobs are being axed by National. That’s not what they promised New Zealanders at the last election.” Grant Robertson said.

ENDS

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