Source: PSA
– Devastating human toll revealed in new PSA analysis
– Deep cuts will impact vital services across New Zealand
– PSA snap rally against public service cuts Sunday midday Te Papa
A fresh PSA analysis of the Government’s public service cuts reveals the true scale of devastation: nearly one in four workers at the agencies in scope will lose their jobs.
With 10 agencies exempted from the cuts, the entire burden of the planned cull of 8,700 jobs falls on the remaining 30 agencies, which employ 36,965 people. That means 23.4% of workers at those agencies will be sacked – nearly one in four workers today face an uncertain future (see attached document).
“The Government’s headline number hid the real story of how deep and destructive these cuts will be,” said Duane Leo, National Secretary of the Public Service Association Te Pukenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“We’ve had an outpouring of support from people outraged at the Government’s decisions which is why we’re rallying against the cuts at Te Papa on Sunday to voice our concerns.
“People see it for what it is, the Government swinging a wrecking ball through the agencies that keep them safe at work, protect our borders, build our roads, collect our taxes, protect our precious native forests and birds and respond to emergencies.
“Look at the real human cost. MSD loses more than 2,000 workers – these are the case managers and support workers who help families in crisis and get people into jobs. MBIE loses nearly 1,400 – the people enforcing building standards, processing visas and protecting tenants.
“MPI loses more than 800 workers – the border officers, vets, and food safety inspectors who protect us from biosecurity threats. DOC loses more than 600 – rangers, pest control workers and scientists protecting our environment. Internal Affairs loses more than 600 – the people processing your passport, running the National Library and enforcing anti-money laundering laws and keeping kids safe from online harm.
“The National Emergency Management Agency loses nearly a quarter of its staff. This year alone, more than 20 states of emergency have been declared across New Zealand. Climate change is hammering our communities right now, and the Government wants to gut our capacity to respond?
“The Cancer Control Agency, the Ministry for Disabled People, the Ministry for Women, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities – all face losing nearly a quarter of their people. These agencies exist because communities fought for a voice in government. Now that voice is being silenced.
“New Zealanders should not trust this Government’s promise that the exempted agencies are safe. When they find they can’t kick 8,700 bodies out the door without services falling over, what happens next? They widen the net. Oranga Tamariki could be next. Corrections could be next.
“You can’t cut one in four workers from an agency and call it efficiency. Using AI and merging departments to stop HR roles being duplicated does not get you anywhere near the headline target.
“Our analysis exposes how poorly thought through this plan really is. This is destruction of public services on an unprecedented scale, and every New Zealander will pay the price,” said Duane Leo.
Notes
The real cuts – full agency-by-agency breakdown attached
Sunday PSA rally against the cuts
When: midday
Where: Te Papa forecourt
The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.