Tuesday, 21 November 2023 13:07

Over fat!

Written by The Hound

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

OPINION: The Hound suggests that the new National-led government has plenty of scope to deliver on its – and coalition partner ACT’s – election promise of trimming the fat in the public service.

The jump in the number of bureaucrats under the Labour government from 2017 is clearly evident in figures recently released by the Public Service Commission.

This shows the number of Wellington public servants – excluding health and education workers – has increased by 7255 since 2017.

That’s an increase of 35.64%.

Meanwhile, the average public service pay was $97,200 which suggests that increase in the government’s annual wage bill in Wellington since 2017 has grown by $705 million.

There’s also been an increase in the number of public servants in Auckland – growing by 2800 to 12,810 since 2017.

Anyone suggesting there is no room for cuts here is delusional!

More like this

ACT, farmers push for changes to Paris Agreement

The ACT Party's call for a better deal on the Paris Agreement on climate change is being backed by farmer organisations.

Dreams aren't plans

OPINION: Milking It reckons if you're National, looking at recent polls, the dream scenario is that the elusive economic recovery finally roars to life.

If voters see some growth and wages rising faster than prices, the government could say they've "fixed" things as they ride into the next election.

Back here on Earth though, the economy they inherited is a basket case, and the long-term headwinds are fierce.

Political commentator Liam Hehir says, "dreams are not plans" and if the turnaround doesn't come in time, National may have no choice but to go negative.

"Everybody wants to fight on the economy if they can. But when neither side has a compelling story, the contest shifts to other issues. That's not new. In fact, it's the stuff of politics everywhere, always."

Wrong focus

OPINION: Your old mate reckons townie Brooke van Velden, the Minister of Workplace (or is it Woke Place) Relations is now showing how underemployed she is as a minister by initiating an investigation into whether young children should be banned from collecting eggs on farms and feeding animals.

Burn the village

OPINION: There's an infamous term coined by a US general during the Vietnam war, specifically in reference to the battle of Ben Tre: "We had to burn the village to save it."

Purist problem

OPINION: The sudden departure of Jim Ward, manager of Molesworth Station for 24 years, highlighted some major dysfunction in the way conservation estate is managed in this country - the biggest problem, as the Hound sees it, being idealogues who harp on about "taonga" and use all means possible to block sensible commercial operations on conservation land.

Featured

Fonterra Edendale site wins Mars Dairy Supplier Quality Award

Fonterra Edendale has been recognised with the Mars Dairy Supplier Quality Award for the top performing supplier sites in the global food company's dairy supply chain.

Maui Milk achieves grass-fed certification in NZ

Sheep milk processor Maui Milk has achieved grass-fed certification of milk supply against the AsureQuality Grass-Fed Scheme.

Editorial: No need to worry

OPINION: What goes up must come down. So, global dairy prices retreating from lofty heights in recent months wouldn’t come as a surprise to many farmers.