Peters laughs off questions about job cuts for diplomats amid cull of public service jobs

Tuesday, 19 May 2026

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters says he’s not concerned about job losses at MFAT as the government pushes to slashed nearly 9000 public service roles by mid 2029.

Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has laughed off questions about job losses at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) an hour after the finance minister announced sweeping cuts to the public sector.

Nicola Willis has promised to slash 8700 jobs from the public service by mid-2029, with the aim of saving $2.4 billion.

Mfat is not listed in the agencies excluded from the baseline savings exercise of 2% in the coming year, followed by 5% in each of the following two years.

Asked how many job losses he was expecting at Mfat, Peters told reporters they were getting ahead of themselves.

Read more:

“All of our embassies are going to be retained, everything’s going to stay the same and there's a smaller matter of [an] election on the 7th of November and the Budget next year. I'm not concerned about it.”

Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour said no minister or agency was above scrutiny.

“If you look at Mfat, in 2017 it was a billion dollars, now it's $1.7 billion. I think New Zealanders have a right to ask, are they getting value for money for that regardless of who's the minister? Nobody is above scrutiny of taxpayer money.”

Seymour - who has long advocated for smaller government - said a smaller public service with “less consultation for consultation’s sake” would make it easier to make laws faster.

“I think ultimately the pressure that is coming on is from the ratings agencies, it's the interest rates the government's paying, it's the drive to balance the budget.

“So you stand there like King Canute and shout against the ocean if you like, but there are some bigger forces at play here that I think it would be wise to listen to.”

Peters - who saved Mfat from finding savings of 6.5% like other departments in 2024 - said he would keep advocating for the agency.

“I've got a record of making sure I stand up for foreign affairs and making sure that we have got the number of people we need offshore, and my intention remains the same for this election.”