Nā Hora Nicholas tēnei atikara.
An estimated $2.4 billion in savings has driven the Government’s announcement of 8,700 job losses in the public service by mid-2029, around 14% of total public service roles. The changes have been outlined in a pre-budget announcement made by Finance Minister Nicola Willis.
“… reduce the number of government departments, increase the use of AI and other digital tools, and deliver significant savings,” Says Finance Minister Nicola Willis, outlining the rationale behind the changes.
At present, just over 63,000 people work in New Zealand’s public service. A public servant is someone employed by a government agency to help deliver public services, implement policy, and support the functioning of the state.
“I tēnei tau ko ngā āpihā o te kāwanatanga e utu ana i te tahua pūtea o tēnei kāwanatanga” Willow-Jean Prime says.
Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime, who has been in Parliament for almost nine years, says public servants are effectively helping to fund the Government’s 2026 Budget.
The job cuts affect around 30 agencies including Inland Revenue, the Department of Conservation, and Te Puni Kōkiri, among others.
The Government has also identified several agencies that are under pressure and therefore excluded from certain savings targets, including:
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New Zealand Defence Force
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Police
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Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children
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Department of Corrections
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Ministry of Health
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Ministry of Justice
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Ministry of Education (excluding tertiary functions)
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Government Communications Security Bureau
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New Zealand Security Intelligence Service
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Education Review Office
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Crown Law Office
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Ministry of Defence
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Serious Fraud Office
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Parliamentary agencies
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
“Rātou e rapu mahi ana ko ngā whānau Māori, ko ngā rangatahi Māori kore mahi,” Prime said, arguing current unemployment data highlights the need for more jobs, not fewer.
According to Stats NZ’s 2025 report, 11.2% of Māori are unemployed, the same level as New Zealand’s highest recorded unemployment rate in 1991. In 2024, the International Labour Organization reported global unemployment at 4.9%, while Aotearoa’s national rate currently sits higher at 5.6%.
“This will gut the capacity of the government to meet its obligations on Te Tiriti,” said Jack McDonald, Kaihautū of the Public Service Association.
McDonald argues public sector job cuts reduce the workforce responsible for Māori engagement, policy advice, and Treaty capability, weakening agencies’ ability to give effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi in practice.
“… we’re only going to see more and more breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” McDonald said.
Under the Public Service Act 2020, public service agencies are required to develop and maintain capability to engage with Māori and understand Māori perspectives, but McDonald is concerned the changes will undermine that ability.
“Horekau he rautaki, horekau he kōrero hei tautoko i tērā whakaaro, kāhore mātou e mōhio ana ko hea ngā tūnga mahi ka whakakorehia engari he nama noa iho,” Prime said, describing the lack of clarity around the proposed changes.
The cuts, concentrated across around 30 government agencies, are expected to affect one in four roles by 2029, with departments also mandated to use AI as a key tool to improve productivity.
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Ka penapena te kāwanatanga i te $2.4 piriona mā te whakatau i te whakakoretanga o ngā tūranga mahi e 8,700 i te ratonga tūmatanui tae atu ki te waenganui o te tau 2029, e tata ana ki te 14% o ngā mahi katoa o te ratonga tūmatanui.
I puta ēnei panonitanga i tētahi pānui a te Minita Pūtea, a Nicola Willis.
“… reduce the number of government departments, increase the use of AI and other digital tools, and deliver significant savings,” Hei tā Nicola Willis e kōrero ana mō te take o ēnei panonitanga.
I tēnei wā, neke atu i te 63,000 ngā tāngata e mahi ana i te ratonga tūmatanui o Aotearoa. Ko te kaimahi tūmatanui he tangata e mahi ana mō tētahi tari kāwanatanga ki te tuku ratonga tūmatanui, ki te whakatinana kaupapa here, me te tautoko i te mahi a te kāwanatanga.
“I tēnei tau ko ngā āpihā o te kāwanatanga e utu ana i te tahua pūtea o tēnei kāwanatanga.”
Kua tata ki te 9 tau e noho ana a Willow-Jean Prime hei mema Pāremata o te Rōpū Reipa, ā, e ai ki a ia kei te āwhina ngā kaimahi tūmatanui i te pūtea o te Tahua 2026 a te Kāwanatanga.
Ka pā ngā tapahi mahi ki ngā tari pērā i te Tari Taake o Aotearoa, Te Papa Atawhai, Te Puni Kōkiri, me ētahi atu.
Kua tautuhia hoki e te kāwanatanga ētahi tari kei raro i te pēhanga, ā, kua whakakorehia i ētahi whāinga penapena, tae atu ki:
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Ngā Ope Kātua o Aotearoa (New Zealand Defence Force)
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Ngā Pirihimana o Aotearoa (New Zealand Police)
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Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora – Oranga Tamariki
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Te Tari Ara Poutama (Department of Corrections)
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Te Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health)
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Te Tāhū o te Ture (Ministry of Justice)
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Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga (Ministry of Education)
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Te Pokapū Haumaru Whakawhiti Kōrero (Government Communications Security Bureau)
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Te Pā Whakamarumaru (New Zealand Security Intelligence Service)
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Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga (Education Review Office)
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Te Tari Ture o te Karauna (Crown Law Office)
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Te Manatū Kaupapa Waonga (Ministry of Defence)
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Te Tari Hara Tāware (Serious Fraud Office)
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Ngā tari Pāremata (Parliamentary Offices)
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Te Manatū Aorere (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
“Rātou e rapu mahi ana ko ngā whānau Māori, ko ngā rangatahi Māori kore mahi,” e tohe an a Prime, ko ngā raraunga kore mahi o nāianei e whakaatu ana me nui ake ngā tūranga mahi, kaua ko te whakaiti.
E ai ki te pūrongo a Tatauranga Aotearoa o te tau 2025, e 11.2% o te iwi Māori kei te kore mahi — he ōrite tēnei ki te taumata kore mahi teitei rawa i tuhia i Aotearoa i te tau 1991.
I te tau 2024, i pūrongo te International Labour Organization ko te 4.9% te reanga kore mahi o te ao, engari e 5.6% te reanga kore mahi o Aotearoa i tēnei wā, he teitei ake.
“This will gut the capacity of the government to meet its obligations on Te Tiriti,” said Jack McDonald, Kaihautū of the Public Service Association.
E kī ana a McDonald ko ngā tapahi mahi i te ratonga tūmatanui e whakaiti ana i te hunga mahi e kawe ana i te whai wāhi o te Māori, te tuku tohutohu kaupapa here, me te kaha Tiriti, ā, ka ngoikore ai te āheinga o ngā tari ki te whakatinana i Te Tiriti o Waitangi i roto i te mahi.
“… we’re only going to see more and more breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi,” McDonald said.
I raro i te Public Service Act 2020, me whakawhanake, me pupuri hoki ngā tari ratonga tūmatanui i te kaha ki te whai wāhi ki te Māori me te mārama ki ngā tirohanga Māori, engari e āwangawanga ana a McDonald ka whakararu ēnei panonitanga i taua āheinga.
“Horekau he rautaki, horekau he kōrero hei tautoko i tērā whakaaro, kāhore mātou e mōhio ana ko hea ngā tūnga mahi ka whakakorehia engari he nama noa iho,” Prime said, describing the lack of clarity around the proposed changes.
Ko ngā tapahi, kua arohia ki te āhua o te 30 tari kāwanatanga, e matapaetia ana ka pā ki tētahi o ia whā o ngā tūranga mahi hei te tau 2029, ā, ka whakamahi hoki ngā tari i te atamai hangahanga (AI) hei rauemi kia whakapai ake i te hua mahi.