10. GRANT ROBERTSON (Labour—Wellington Central) Link to this
to the Minister of State Services
Does he have a target for cuts in public sector jobs; if so, what is that target?
Hon TONY RYALLWhich of the following statements is correct: the Hon Heather Roy’s that there is to be a 10 percent cut in public services, Paula Bennett’s that there is to be at least a 5 percent cut, or his own statement made just now?
Louise UpstonThe Government’s policy is to cap the size of the core bureaucracy in our first term of Government. Our priority is to grow front-line services that directly benefit New Zealanders.
Can the Minister confirm that up to 30 jobs will be cut at the National Library, and that hundreds of people are set to lose their jobs at the Ministry of Social Development and the Tertiary Education Commission; and how does this fit with National’s promise to cap but not cut public service numbers?
The member will have to ask individual Ministers for confirmation of those figures. I can tell the member that after 9 years of a free-spending Labour Government, the number of back-office public servants is out of proportion. This Government is determined that the focus will go on improving front-line services for New Zealanders.
I seek leave to table a newsletter from the Hon Heather Roy, in which she says that all Government Ministers and departments are looking at 10 percent cuts in public services.
Mr SPEAKER