About 2100 full-time jobs have been siphoned from government administration since the National Party took office in 2008.Progress against the government's cap on core administration staff, across all public service departments, is revealed in a report fro
About 2100 full-time jobs have been siphoned from government administration since the National Party took office in 2008.
Progress against the government’s cap on core administration staff, across all public service departments, is revealed in a report from the State Services Commission today.
It reveals there were 36,771 fulltime equivalent staff positions in the core government administration at June 30
That’s about 2100 fewer than when the cap was set at 38,859 fulltime equivalent staff from December 2008.
It applies to all public service departments, excluding the Community Probation & Psychological Service and Prison Service sections of the Department of Corrections, and the Child, Youth & Family and Work & Income sections of the Ministry of Social Development.
The cap also extends to five Crown entities: Housing New Zealand, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, New Zealand Transport Agency, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and the Tertiary Education Commission.
Minister of State Services Tony Ryall said core public service administration staff swelled under the previous government, beyond proportion to the numbers of frontline public servants such as teachers and police.
"This government has halted that growth. The single biggest cost of running government is the wage bill and in tight financial times taxpayers are concerned with ensuring that resources are well managed,” he said in a statement.
"Capping the core government administration frees up resources for improved frontline services, which is better value for money for New Zealand taxpayers.”
Mr Ryall said many government departments would have little or no increase in baseline funding over the next few years, so there would be further reductions in staff numbers as chief executives managed staff within their budgets.
