Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche and his deputy chief executives Heather Baggot (right) and Rebecca Kitteridge (left) fronted MPs to answer questions about the PSC's annual report. Photo: RNZ / Anneke Smith
The Public Service Commission has reported 865 redundancies across the public service this financial year, about half of which were voluntary.
Commissioner Sir Brian Roche and his deputies Heather Baggot and Rebecca Kitteridge fronted MPs on the Public Service Commission's (PSC) annual review this afternoon.
Deputy Commissioner Heather Baggot said there had been a "rapid shift" in the PSC's operating environment with a focus on fiscal restraint in the last year.
Baggot told MPs the PSC had found savings of 7.5 percent by axing 25 senior leadership roles, finding $1 million worth of annual savings in non-personnel expenditure and reducing contract spend by 34 percent.
Job cuts fell into three categories: budget expectations to meet the government's $1.5 billion savings target, the end of fixed term funding and agencies finding efficiencies, she said.
There had been a total 865 redundancies this financial year (as of 30 June), about half of which were voluntary, she said.
"Those are the latest numbers so some of the change processes across the public service are still ongoing so we expect those numbers will come up and we've got new data that comes out next week which will give the latest.
"But yes, 10,000 is not anywhere near the numbers."
Baggot said there had been a net increase of 0.7 percent in the public sector workforce to 30 June 2024, with the main reduction in roles occurring in the last six months.
Budget expectations had removed 2250 roles and closed 1150 vacancies, with more roles dropped due to programmes ending or identified efficiencies, she said.
Public Service Minister Nicola Willis also addressed job losses this afternoon, saying they had received a lot of media attention and "some very unclear reporting".
"It's worth noting public service roles peaked in the December quarter and then decreased by just over 2000 roles in the six months to June. That is a real FTE reduction up to 30 June.
"It is a much smaller number than what has been reported and the reason for this is that about a third of what has been reported in the media have been unfilled vacancies.
"I think that's significant because New Zealanders need to understand that many government agencies were holding vacancies open and using the funds intended for those roles for other purposes and we have put a stop to that practice."
"Across the board, we are measuring ourselves on the achievement we deliver, not just simply how many people we hire," Willis said.
"Overall, we've seen an increase in public service workers. Those are roles that are for example teachers in classrooms rather than people working at the Ministry of Education or increased numbers of nurses rather than people working in policy roles.
"And that is exactly what we said we would do because having watched the public service grow about 30 percent in numbers of a period of just six years, it was our view that not enough of those resources were getting into the service delivery that New Zealanders pay tax in order to support."
Asked about his warning over a health official describing ministerial work on heated tobacco products as "crap" last month, Brian said he stood by it.
"I though it was a very inappropriate use of language, I maintain that position, but it does not in any way compromise the independence or neutrality of the public service.
"What I am saying [is] that is an article of faith but how you discharge it goes to the professionalism and conduct and that breached it."
The PSC's independent inquiry into allegations Te Pāti Māori misused data during the 2023 election campaign may be released before Christmas, though this was not a guarantee, Brian said.
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