‘A dark day for Kiwi kids’
Mass job-cutting proposals at the Ministry of Education and children’s ministry Oranga Tamariki would result in more than 1000 roles axed from the public sector alone, bringing the total number of jobs set to face the chop to well above 2000 so far. Azari
The Government promises savings found through cutting jobs, slashing backoffice spending and functions, and culling several work programmes in some areas will be reinvested into the front line, across a number of agencies.
Major job-cutting proposals have been announced in the public sector; at Oranga Tamariki, 632 roles are proposed to be disestablished, with 185 proposed to be created – a net loss of 447 jobs.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has confirmed a proposal is in the works that would result in a net reduction of 565 roles, 225 of which are already vacant.
Agencies are seeking cost-savings in relation to the Budget, coming up on May 30, and have been directed to find savings of between 6.5 and 7.5 per cent on average.
Both of the proposals, which came in on the same day, have sparked concern from various unions, and Labour leader Chris Hipkins.
Communications to Oranga Tamariki staff detail about 1900 of 5100 positions are “in the scope of this change”, including all positions in the national office below the chief executive, and, in regional offices, all roles below chief executive and above site manager, youth justice manager, and residence manager, or equivalent frontline roles.
The children’s ministry has vowed to keep essential roles out of the firing line, as has the Ministry of Education.
Oranga Tamariki’s frontline managers, and key staff reporting to them, are not part of the savings proposal, with the axe looming instead at backoffice staff and roles.
On the looming cuts, Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani said “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. A ministry that puts children at the centre of all we do,” Te Kani said.
The Public Service Association, which represents unionised public servants who have been subject to “unsettling” proposals, was the first to slam the announcements.
In a statement, PSA assistant secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the union’s “hearts go out to all the dedicated workers” impacted by the change proposal.
“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, a former
Labour candidate, said in a statement.
Secretary of education Iona Holsted said the agency was disappointed in the PSA’S “mischaracterisation” of the proposals as impacting services for children.
“This generates unnecessary concern and worry for parents and caregivers and the wider education sector.
“To be clear, this is a complex process that has required time, and our proposed changes have been designed to avoid impacts on direct services to children, teachers, and principals/leaders,” Holstead said.
Post-primary Teachers Association president Chris Abercrombie slammed the cuts as “short-sighted”.
“One area that troubles us greatly is the cut to staffing in the NCEA change and curriculum refresh programmes. These programmes are at the heart of teaching and learning and young people’s qualifications and opportunities. The work will still need to be done and it will most likely mean school leaders and teachers will pick up the shortfall, creating further pressure on an already straining system,” Abercrombie said.
He suggested, in an interview with NZME, that some of the people proposed to lose their jobs are people who teachers and principals ring daily, for advice.
The ministry has offered to brief the PPTA on the proposal.
In an interview with NZME, Chief Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad said she was “of course” concerned to see proposed job cuts across Oranga Tamariki, and wanted to see a plan around how the safety and wellbeing of mokopuna would be upheld, with significant job losses.
Achmad would be looking to understand how the Government intends to re-invest the savings, adding “a lot needs to change”.
“We need to see bold consistent focus and investment into children’s wellbeing so that every single child can flourish,” she added.
NZEI president Mark Potter also expressed grave concerns about the ramifications of the proposal that would axe hundreds of roles from the Ministry of Education.
He said “services that support schools and students within the ministry are being slashed”, predicting the impacts would be felt across the classroom, in both teaching and learning.
Education Minister Erica Stanford describes improving education outcomes as a government “priority,” explaining it was a catalyst to the Government setting targets around aspects of the public service.
She said the Government was looking forward to making Budget announcements that “will deliver on our commitment to increase investment in education and lift student achievement”.
“We will be redirecting funds that will be achieved from the Ministry of Education savings programme and put them to the frontline,” Stanford said.
Speaking from overseas, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said “there has been a massive amount of bureaucracy built up in the system”.
Hipkins felt the announcements were bleak, stating it was a “dark day for Kiwi kids,” suggesting a third of the cuts directly affect children.
He feared frontline services would be impacted.
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.
Chappie Te Kani, Oranga Tamariki chief executive