“The Government has let the public service get completely out of control before attempting to reign it in,” says ACT Leader David Seymour.

“Since Labour took office the public service has increased by 10,000 people. The average growth per year under Labour is six percent. It was one percent when ACT had a confidence and supply agreement with Government.

"The number of bureaucrats earning more than $100,000 has grown by 43 percent, from 10,519 in 2018 to 15,055 now.

“And it’s not like we’re getting value for money. Delivery from Government has been so poor it’s had to start an “implementation unit” because it’s been failing to deliver.

“It’s all well and good to virtue signal now about pausing pay increases but ten thousand bureaucrats and one implementation unit later, the horse has already bolted.

“What we need now is an assurance from Labour that it won’t hire expensive consultants to avoid a head count of full time staff. It’s understood some recruiters in Wellington have said they have “more Government contracts than they know what to do with.”

“ACT believes that public policy matters. We have constructive and solutions-focused policy for all New Zealanders, particularly through reducing the role of government and increasing the role of free markets."

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