Labour slams govt spin spend-up

Labour has criticised the government's $165,000 bill for temporary communications staff since the election. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The Government expects the public to tighten their belts while it hides how much it was spending on staff, Labour says.

Labour MP Chris Hipkins was reacting to figures supplied under the Official Information Act showing that since the election the Government has spent more than $165,000 on temporary communications staff for ministers.

He also had new figures on how much the Government was spending on Beehive staff which showed more people were now earning over $100,000.

However, a spokesman for Finance Minister Bill English said that the Government had kept costs down compared to Labour.

After National became government it came under fire for the high cost of its permanent communications staff. It hired 18 press secretaries on salaries higher than $100,000, but said it was hiring fewer but higher quality staff.

Labour also raised concerns about private purchase advisers -- who are contractors paid out of department budgets, but advise ministers.

"Bill English boasted about the fact they were hiring fewer staff but then of course we've found out since then they've spending up to $2000 a day on purchase advisers," Mr Hipkins said.

"I think this is just another example of how they have been looking for loopholes to prevent New Zealanders from knowing how much they are exactly spending on Beehive staff."

He said the Government appeared unconcerned about its own spending during a recession.

"I think its a bit rich at the moment when Bill English and the National government are asking everybody else to tighten their belts but they are not willing to do that themselves."

Figures supplied to Mr Hipkins showed that last June, when Labour was in government, there were 162 Beehive staff costing $13,319,768, with 16 staff earning over $100,000.

As of June this year there were 161 staff costing $13,008,803 and 39 of those staff earned over $100,000.

"So when you factor in the extra money they have spent on purchase advisors and communications consultants it's quite clear that they are spending more on staffing the Beehive than Labour did," Mr Hipkins said.

Mr English's spokesman disagreed that the National government spent more on staff than Labour.

"Mr Hipkins is mistaken. The Ministerial Services salary bill as of July 31, 2009 is almost $1 million lower than it was in October 2008," he said.

"This government has taken several steps to get better value for taxpayers across a range of areas -- including providing expert purchase advisors to ministers who asked to use them.

"The advisors helped these ministers save millions of dollars of taxpayers' money in the budget process this year. They will be used in future if required - and when they can provide value for ministers and taxpayers."

Temporary communications contractors for ministers used since last November cost $165,676.

Specific details of contracts, including which minister they worked for, were withheld, but some details are already known.

The largest contract was with high calibre Wellington PR man Brad Tattersfield, listed under the information as Context Public Policy Communications, for $94,625. The contract ran from November 22 until now.

Mr Tattersfield has worked for new Social Development Minister Paula Bennett and Education Minister Anne Tolley.

One of the shortest but higher rate contracts was for Maclean Communications - used from December 1 until Christmas Eve and costing $14,550.

Company co-owner Iain Maclean was understood to have worked for new Immigration and Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman.

Contractor Susan Blyth was hired for two stints costing $15,800. She worked from February 16-27, then for a month from March 10.

She also worked for Ms Tolley for at least one of those periods.

- NZPA