Talking to staff affected by Govt’s proposed cuts

Minister of Education Erica Stanford says the Secretary of Education has been directed to ensure children and front-line workers will not be affected by the change proposals. RNZ picture

The local impact of mass job-cutting proposals by the Government at Oranga Tamariki, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Conservation will not be known until consultation with staff affected has been completed.

The departments contacted by The Gisborne Herald could only provide the media statements sent out on Tuesday, the day of the announcement.

“We are consulting with people who may be impacted or affected by the proposals, and their representatives. Final decisions will not be made until after this process is concluded,” a Ministry of Education (MOE) spokesperson said.

The MOE changes propose an overall reduction of 565 full-time equivalent positions, with 225 of these roles currently vacant.

Their proposed changes have been designed to avoid direct impacts on services to children, teachers and principals/leaders.

Oranga Tamariki chief executive Chappie Te Kani said at this stage these are proposed changes and once consultation with staff is completed, final decisions will be made.

A total of 632 people will be affected by the proposal.

“I want to be clear,” Mr Te Kani said. “The change I am proposing is not about tinkering around the edges. 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.

“A ministry who doesn’t just occasionally work with communities or sees devolution of decision-making and resources as optional; it makes it our business as usual.

“A ministry who is focused on our core purpose.  And a place where people are empowered to do their jobs to the best of their ability.”

A Department of Conservation spokesperson said they have tried to find options that would have the least impact overall on people and on conservation outcomes.

The proposals include a reduction of 130 roles overall.

“The final number of redundancies won’t be known until DoC has consulted our people and we have been through a management of change process.

“We have no further comment on what roles or work may be affected. No final decisions have been made.”

The Public Service Association, a union which represents public servants, said the Education Ministry cuts represented 12 percent of the workforce.  The PSA said 216 roles were proposed to be removed from its operations and integration group, 197 from the curriculum centre, 91 from regional offices, 39 from its property group and 22 from policy positions.

The union described the regional jobs as including people supporting children with disabilities, migrant and disabled children and advisers on speech and language therapy.

Post Primary Teachers Assocation president Chris Abercrombie described the cuts as “short-sighted”.

Education Minister Erica Stanford has said: “We will be redirecting funds that will  be achieved from the Ministry of Education savings programme and putting them to the front line.”