Questions over privacy breach links with job cuts

Labour's Jacinda Ardern. Photo / Natalie Slade

Slashed numbers of IT staff at the Ministry of Social Development could be the reason for last weeks massive privacy breach.

Labour's Social Development spokesperson, Jacinda Ardern says figures provided to the Social Services Select Committee show IT staff numbers have been cut by 70 since 2008.

She says there may be some link between this and the Work and Income kiosks at the centre of the recent security failure.

She says the National-led government has been trying to look for cost savings by reducing staff numbers, and if that has had any impact or caused in anyway the massive this breach of security, then the Minister needs to look into it and be honest with the rest of us.