$25m cut spells big job losses

"Faceless bureaucrats" face the chop as the Government applies a $25 million squeeze.

"People are doing their very best in jobs that they consider to be important, but we have a new Government and new priorities," Education Minister Anne Tolley said yesterday.

Tolley announced a change of role, size and focus for the ministry that critics fear will put a greater burden on schools.

Tolley said she had "no idea" how many jobs would be cut.

It was up to Secretary of Education Karen Sewell to decide where the cuts would be made, she said.

The ministry would redirect more of its resources to the "front line" of education.

"Rather than having to deal through a sometimes faceless bureaucracy in Wellington, they [schools] want to be able to ring up their local ministry people," Tolley said.

There was "enormous pressure" on the education budget, she said.

Sewell briefed senior managers on the changes last week and sent a message to all regional managers on Tuesday before informing all staff yesterday.

The message said the ministry would have to cut at least $10m in the next financial year.

This would start on June 1.

"When you're looking at savings of the extent that we are going to be making, I would expect that some positions will go," she said.

It would be "absolute speculation" to say how many staff would be cut. Public Service Association national secretary Brenda Pilott said she was worried the cuts could hit education services.

"This will mean staff in frontline roles will become increasingly tied up in doing administrative work, and the delivery of service at the front line will suffer," she said.

New Zealand Educational Institute president Frances Nelson said the cut was "a big chunk of money" to take out.

"We'll be wanting to make sure that the things that are no longer going to be done by the ministry don't just get downloaded on to the schools," she said.

Labour education spokesman Trevor Mallard said the changes would mean less funding for research.

It would also affect professional development for teachers and curriculum development.

RED-TAPE CUTS

Health Ministry – $700 million in savings over five years, costing up to 500 jobs.

Social Development Ministry – Restructuring costing up to 200 jobs.

Tertiary Education Commission – Restructuring costing 72 jobs.

ACC – Restructuring costing 70 jobs at the Wellington head office.

Justice Ministry – Restructuring proposal to cut 88 jobs within the courts and create 51 new positions.

- © Fairfax NZ News