Independent Analysis and Reportage
Source: Radio New Zealand Barbara Edmonds says the party hasn’t decided what assets to put in the fund yet. RNZ / Samuel Rillstone Labour will not release key details of its Future Fund policy until after the election, saying some of the advice it needs can only come if the party is in government. If…
Source: Radio New Zealand The New Zealand Initiative executive director Oliver Hartwich. Supplied The New Zealand Initiative is pleased with the government’s plan to slash nearly 9000 public sector roles over the next three years. The changes will see public service jobs slashed by about 14 percent by 2029, in a shake-up the government says…
Source: Radio New Zealand Wellington’s spending dropped 2.8 percent over the year, compared to a fall of 1 percent for the country. File photo. RNZ / REECE BAKER Wellington’s struggling economy is expected to be hit with another blow, with the government planning to cut 8700 jobs from the public sector by mid-2029. There are…
Source: Radio New Zealand Part processed skins at a Tasman Tanning facility. Supplied A European Commission proposal to exclude leather products from new anti-deforestation import regulations is being labelled as a “bit of a relief” by a readied leather producer, but “nonsense” by campaigners. The European Union was working to reduce global deforestation in the…
Source: Radio New Zealand Green Party Education spokesperson Lawrence Xu-nan. VNP / Phil Smith A primary teachers union says a last-minute amendment from Education Minister places the Teaching Council under total ministerial control. The Green Party says it bad lawmaking and an ideologically driven undermining of the Council’s independence. Erica Stanford unveiled the changes to…
Source: Radio New Zealand The government has announced plans to slash public service jobs by about 14 percent over the next three years in a shake-up it says will deliver $2.4 billion of savings. The changes announced in a pre-Budget speech delivered by Finance Minister Nicola Willis on Tuesday would result in about 8700 job…
Source: Radio New Zealand Disability advocate Jane Carrigan. RNZ / Ana Tovey A disability advocate says a bill to clarify the purpose of Disability Support Services is the worst piece of legislation she’s ever seen. The government introduced the Disability Support Services Bill on Monday, aimed at “providing clarity and stability” to the system supporting…
Source: Radio New Zealand The Prime Minister says the public service isn’t a “make-work” scheme as he signals there will be job losses as a result of proposed government changes. Finance Minister Nicola Willis will set out three proposals in her Auckland pre-Budget speech on Tuesday afternoon in an effort to create efficiencies in the…
Source: Radio New Zealand Danni Duncan documents her decision to live a child-free life. Danni Duncan The number of babies born in New Zealand continues to fall with the latest data from Stats NZ showing more than 1500 fewer babies were born last year. The total fertility rate now sits at 1.53 births per woman.…
Source: Radio New Zealand AFP/ Thibaut Durand/ Hans Lucas The head of the dental association says some clinics are waiting as long as a year to employ a dentist, and are having to close temporarily or even permanently. NZDA chief executive Dr Mo Amso told Nine to Noon the number of dentists coming through the…
Source: Radio New Zealand RNZ The government is set to announce proposals which RNZ understands will seek to reduce the number of government agencies, with amalgamation, more work on digitisation and using AI, and setting a target to reduce the public service headcount to 1 percent of the total population by 2029. There are 42…
Source: Radio New Zealand Labour leader Chris Hipkins says bigger government departments aren’t always more efficient than smaller departments. RNZ / Marika Khabazi Labour leader Chris Hipkins says public servant caps can be “arbitrary” and bigger government departments aren’t always better at doing the job, as the finance minister looks to downsize the public service.…