As the public sector races to meet Finance Minister Nicola Willis’s cost-cutting targets, public servants find their jobs under threat. Willis has instructed ministries and agencies to slash expenditure by 6.5 percent or 7.5 percent, aiming to reduce annual public service spending by $1.5 billion. This directive extends beyond the core public sector to entities such as WorkSafe, Callaghan Innovation, and Niwa.
The number of job losses is still evolving, with many ministries yet to unveil their plans. Minister for Regulation David Seymour has suggested that job cuts could reach 7500. Here’s a breakdown of the proposed job cuts across various government entities:
- Ministry of Education: Proposing to cut 755 positions, including regional and frontline roles.
- Oranga Tamariki: Proposing to cut 447 jobs, a 9 percent reduction.
- ACC: Proposing a net reduction of 325 roles, with some reinvestment in client-facing positions.
- New Zealand Qualifications Authority: Proposing to cut 35 roles due to the postponement of the NCEA change program.
- Department of Conservation: Potentially cutting about 130 roles, including vacancies.
- Transport Agency Waka Kotahi: Planning to cut 12 roles from its digital team.
- Ministry for the Environment: Offering voluntary redundancies, potentially leading to hundreds of job losses.
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment: Confirmed 341 job losses, with further reductions underway.
- Ministry of Culture and Heritage: Proposing to reduce staff numbers to 150, a reduction of 34 roles.
- Kāinga Ora: Proposing a net reduction of 159 positions across various teams.
- Commerce Commission: Proposing to cut about 10 percent of its workforce, equivalent to 35 to 40 roles.
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research: Potentially cutting up to 90 jobs, with 30 vacancies.
- Ministry of Health: Proposing to cut 134 jobs, with a quarter of positions to be disestablished.
- Ministry of Social Development: Offering voluntary redundancies, potentially affecting hundreds of workers.
- Ministry of Māori Development – Te Puni Kōkiri: Proposing a net reduction of 38 roles.
- Ministry for Primary Industries: Confirmed 391 job losses, about 10 percent of its workforce.
- Public Service Commission: Disestablishing roles related to pay equity, potentially affecting six employees.
- Department of Internal Affairs: Announced job cuts across various branches, totaling 66 roles.
- Ministry for Pacific Peoples: Shedding 57 positions, nearly half of its total roles.
- Ministry of Transport: Already implemented a net reduction of 24 roles.
- Stats NZ: Experienced 29 job losses in December 2023, with further changes expected.
- The Treasury: Proposing to axe 50 jobs through attrition and closing vacancies.
- Customs: Accepting voluntary redundancies and proposing further cuts, including 78 roles.
- Crown Law Office: Disestablishing 17 roles, about 3.5 percent of its staff.
- Ministry of Housing and Urban Development: Proposing to cut 40 roles, a 10.4 percent reduction.
- Education Review Office: Proposing to axe 13 positions.
- Ministry for Ethnic Communities: Reducing nine roles, about 12 percent of its staff.
- Callaghan Innovation: Proposing to cut about 30 science and engineering jobs.
- WorkSafe: Announced 113 job losses in November last year.
- Tertiary Education Commission: Cutting 28 roles, mainly held by women.
- New Zealand Trade and Enterprise: Awaiting formal notification of cost reduction requirements.
- Scion: Planning to cut about 30 roles, about 10 percent of its workforce.
- Land Information New Zealand: Proposing a net reduction of 57 jobs, disestablishing vacancies and consulting on further cuts.
These figures represent the evolving landscape of job losses across various government entities, reflecting the wider efforts to streamline public sector spending.
