The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says more
transparency is needed in our public service including when
it comes to the amount being spent on the
workforce.
"News that nearly a third of public
servants are earning more than $100,000.00 per annum will be
a shock to many Kiwis given the median annual income in New
Zealand is just over $60,000.00,” Taxpayers’
Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves,
says.
“We have seen an explosion in the number of
public servants in the last five years and with it the
amount of our taxes being spent to support the system.
Ministries and agencies must demonstrate a commitment to
transparency and accountability by providing analysis of
their workforce that justifies the amount of staff and how
much they are paid.”
“Of course we should be
striving for a high-wage economy, but that should be driven
by demand for expertise and skills. When taxpayer-funded
public servants’ wages are inflated beyond comparable
incomes in the private sector, our economy
suffers.”
If you're using Scoop for work, your organisation needs to pay a small license fee with Scoop Pro. We think that's fair, because your organisation is benefiting from using our news resources. In return, we'll also give your team access to pro news tools and keep Scoop free for personal use, because public access to news is important!
Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn. Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik... More
Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More
Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More
Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More
Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More