1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,960 Speaker 1: On a day we got figure showing we're still borrowing 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: money to keep the lights on. We are at least 3 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: cutting back on contractors and consultants. The government has saved 4 00:00:06,680 --> 00:00:09,680 Speaker 1: nine hundred and fifteen million dollars over the last two years, 5 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:13,000 Speaker 1: double its four hundred million dollar target. Total workforce is 6 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:15,520 Speaker 1: also down five percent to sixty two six hundred and 7 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:18,239 Speaker 1: fifty four FTEs full time equivalents, with a six point 8 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: five percent increase in the front line appointments now due 9 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: to Collins is in chargeable of this as the Public 10 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: Services Minister enders with us, good morning. 11 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 2: Oh, good morning mate. 12 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: How much of this? All these savings are low hanging 13 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:33,199 Speaker 1: fruit and it was easy to do well. 14 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:36,120 Speaker 2: I think there were quite obviously that the obvious ones 15 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 2: to go after first, and there were quite a few 16 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 2: jobs that were vacant. Their agencies immediately got rid of 17 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,479 Speaker 2: some because they realized they were coping without them, So 18 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 2: that is true. I mean at the same time, though, 19 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 2: we've got this increase in the frontline staff, which would 20 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 2: be the people you're dealing directly with the public, the 21 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 2: six point nine percent, so that's actually quite quite a 22 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,279 Speaker 2: good increase. At the same time we're dropping the back office. 23 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 2: So I think it's isn't the slash and burn that 24 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 2: the Public Service Association has put out a wildly hysterical 25 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 2: press release yes today saying that there's a slash and 26 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 2: burn and things like that, and I was celebrating job losses. 27 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 2: Now this is actually your money, my money, New Zealander's 28 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,440 Speaker 2: money being better speent. And I think that's exactly where 29 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 2: it needs to be. And we need to actually continue 30 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 2: to keep a very close ironers and make sure we 31 00:01:35,200 --> 00:01:37,319 Speaker 2: get rid of all the nonsense stuff that's been going 32 00:01:37,319 --> 00:01:38,120 Speaker 2: on over the years. 33 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: And when it comes to the nonsense stuff, is it 34 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: possible though, that there are fivetoms within departments that could 35 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:46,319 Speaker 1: be doing business and spending money that the minister may 36 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: or may not know about. 37 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: Oh? Absolutely, And I think it's very important that every minister, 38 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 2: every chief executive is being asked to look at every 39 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: job basically worried about worry that they're not worried about, 40 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 2: and asked is this our core business? Is it something 41 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 2: that we have to do. At the same token, I'd 42 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: say we've been an extremely busy government. It's quite transformational 43 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 2: in some ways some of the work that's been going 44 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 2: on and therefore that does take work, but it's pretty 45 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 2: amazing when you look at some of the costs I 46 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 2: mean that have been spent over the years, and it's 47 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 2: all borrowed money these days. So we've got to be 48 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:28,400 Speaker 2: really careful. 49 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,239 Speaker 1: Yes, we do the roche business of bringing departments within departments. 50 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 1: Is that going to provide more savings over the next 51 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: twelve months or so, Well. 52 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 2: We'll see. I mean, I think we're working on the 53 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 2: basis that we're looking closely at bringing in this sort 54 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: of community and housing transport one together. Whether or not 55 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,880 Speaker 2: we actually fully go through with that, it's another matter 56 00:02:54,000 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: because we've still got to go through all the processes 57 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: and work out that's actually going to save money. I 58 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: think we all that MBY was put together and that 59 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 2: was going to all work together. In many places, that worked, 60 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 2: except for the fact that the numbers of staff went 61 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 2: from about three and a half thousand when we left 62 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: office in twenty seventeen to well over six thousand six 63 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 2: years later. So you've just got to be a bit 64 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 2: careful that you don't end up with big empires and 65 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 2: nobody actually really focused on the first job, which is 66 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 2: looking up for the taxpayer and doing. 67 00:03:27,919 --> 00:03:31,799 Speaker 1: The job exactly. By the way yesterday's performance in the 68 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 1: House and the closing of proceedings, is that going to 69 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: end up potentially in front of the Privileges Committee or. 70 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: Not, when you know, under chair of the Privileges Committee. 71 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 2: So that gives me my eighth portfolio to do. That'll 72 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 2: be up to the Speaker. I look, I heard some 73 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 2: accounts of it last night and we were who come 74 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 2: to Parliament to do a job, and we all have 75 00:03:57,000 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: to follow the rules, so you know, me follow the 76 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: rules and so but I'll deal with it if it 77 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 2: comes in the Commistee will the usual way. 78 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: Okay, I appreciate it. Having a good weekend. Judith Colin 79 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: Tuesday well, the Chair of the Privileges Committee, but also 80 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: the Minister of the Public Service. For more from the 81 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks. It'd be 82 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.