1000 public sector job cuts announced in one day

Wednesday, 17 April 2024

The Ministry of Education is proposing to cut 550 jobs.

A net loss of 565 jobs set to go at the Ministry of Education have added to a total of more than 1000 job cuts announced within the public sector today alone, in what is being called a black day.

The proposal follows confirmation this morning from Oranga Tamariki that 632 jobs are up for disestablishment ‒ a net loss of 447 roles. It would slash the ministry’s size by 9%.

While 235 roles at the education ministry were vacant, the losses represent a 12% reduction in the workforce, the Public Service Association (PSA) said. The Post Primary Teachers Association Te Wehengarua president Chris Abercrombie has described the cuts as short sighted, lacking sense, and having serious future repercussions.

“Sadly, we have seen situations before where Ministry of Education positions are done away with, only to create a gaping hole in essential work and support for schools and teachers further down the track.

PPTA president Chris Abercrombie said the job losses would create a gaping hole in the already short-staffed sector.

“I have no doubt that this is the case today.”

The union said the total, 1012 net losses, represented the Government’s “heartless and chaotic approach” to cutting public services.

'Today is a black day for public service workers and the children and young people they support, with savage cuts that we believe will not deliver the better outcomes the Government promises,' said PSA assistant secretary Fleur Fitzsimons.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the Government wants to increase investment in front line services in both Oranga Tamariki and Education. (File photo)

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, speaking to reporters in Thailand this afternoon, where he is set to meet with Thailand’s prime minister, said National had campaigned on the cuts, and New Zealanders expected them. Reinvestment back into the ministries would be achieved through the Budget, which will be announced in May.

“Obviously, we'll be wanting to increase investment in OT and Education, but we want to make sure everything is delivered towards delivering the targets we've set ourselves around attendance and academic achievement and upgrading our front line services,” Luxon said.

The education ministry numbers were revealed by the PSA. The education ministry’s secretary for education, Iona Holsted, stressed these were proposed numbers.

Fleur Fitzsimons, assistant secretary at the Public Service Association says the cuts will inevitably affect the front line

“We will need to reduce our work in some areas and remove as much duplication as we can across our functions. We will also continue to reduce our spend on contractors and consultants and travel and meetings,” Holsted said.

A recruitment pause would remain in place.

The PSA said the education ministry’s change proposal covered its front line in communities across the country who supported teachers and students.

“This plan includes scrapping 87 jobs in the regions ‒ people doing work including supporting children with disabilities, migrant and refugee children, advising schools on accessing speech and language therapy, lifting student achievement and helping ensure schools run smoothly,' Fitzsimons said.

Iona Holsted, chief executive of the Ministry of Education.

There was also a net reduction of 38 roles for people supporting learners with disabilities and people who needed learning support, 22 of whom were across the regions, she said.

In a statement, Holsted, for the ministry, rejected the PSA’s claims the proposal would impact services for children.

“This generates unnecessary concern and worry for parents and caregivers and the wider education sector.”

The proposed changes had been designed to avoid impacts on direct services to children, teachers, and principals/leaders, Holsted said.

The proposal also includes a reduction in positions across Oranga Tamariki’s back office, said chief executive Chappie Te Kani. (File photo)

“The Government has been clear that operational decisions on meeting the required savings targets is the responsibility of each agency. As with all change, the Ministry is following a formal change process.

“Final decisions will not be made until after this process is concluded.”

Earlier, Oranga Tamariki said more than 600 jobs would be axed with a proposal that would see a net reduction of 447 roles. The cuts represent a 9% reduction in the ministry’s total staff.

The news was delivered in an all-staff meeting this morning, led by chief executive Chappie Te Kani, who discussed how Oranga Tamariki will meet the Government's cost cutting directive. It will disestablish 632 roles and create 185 new ones.

“The change I am proposing is not about tinkering around the edges. This change goes to our core as a ministry. It fundamentally moves us away from where we are, towards the kind of ministry we need to be.”

He said the proposal “puts children at the centre of all we do” and makes the ministry “a place where people are empowered to do their jobs”.

More than 600 jobs will be dissestablished at the children’s ministry, leading to the loss of nearly 450 jobs.

“For some, this proposal will be a hard read. For the 632 people who may be affected by this proposal and whose role may change, it will be hardest.”

The 632 figure includes 70 roles that are vacant.

Oranga Tamariki employed 5100 staff, both permanent and fixed term. It said 1900 roles were scoped for restructure.

While the ministry said front line staff were not in the scope of the proposal, Fitzsimons argued they would inevitably affect the front line.

“The Government promised no impact on social workers, but in a complex organisation like Oranga Tamariki with many moving parts, all workers play an important role in supporting rangatahi and tamariki.

Ministry of Education staff were told in February that jobs would have to be cut in response to the Government’s 7.5% savings target.

“These ill-considered cuts will affect the ability of Oranga Tamariki to deliver services and partner with community agencies. Once again the fiction of no cuts to the front line has been exposed,” Fitzsimons said.

In March, The Post revealed Te Kani was having to pay for work flights around the country out of his own pocket, in order to talk to staff in person about cost saving proposals and changes.

Oranga Tamariki is already facing frontline staffing issues – it was down 160 social workers earlier in March.

He said that over the six week consultation period he had signalled to staff Oranga Tamariki’s intention “to move to the next phase in our transformation journey towards a ministry that puts children at the centre of all we do”.

Both Oranga Tamariki and the Ministry of Education were explicitly excluded in National’s tax plan from delivering an efficiency dividend, instead expected to redirect savings “found in the back-office into front line services”, the plan says.

Finance Minister Nicola Willis has said that any savings made by Oranga Tamariki will stay in the department to be used for front line services.

Across the public service and crown entities the number of roles, staffed and vacant, proposed or confirmed to be disestablished or already ended, is calculated to be more than 3000.

In late February, Ministry of Education staff were told that jobs would have to be cut in response to the Government’s target of 7.5% in savings for their department.

Meanwhile, it was revealed by The Post on Monday that at least 20 graduates at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment were told their jobs were ending early as of July. Some started only in February.

One person involved, who did not want to be named, said the general sense was shock, confusion, sadness and anger.

Correction: The total number of public sector roles proposed to go under government savings’ targets is calculated to be more than 3000, not 1000, as originally reported. Story updated April 17, 5.19pm.