Yates Dianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Yates Dianne: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:624;Page:19626] 
2.  
DIANNE YATES (Labour—Hamilton East) 
 to the  
Minister of State Services 
: What reports if any has he seen on changes to the number of staff employed in the public service? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Minister of State Services) 
: 
 I have seen a report arguing that many of the people employed in the public service are “surplus to requirements” and should be sacked in order to fund tax cuts for the rich. Some people want to turn back the clock to when Government departments were so short of resources that business people who wanted tax returns were left on the phone for hours when students were left begging for food at food banks because their loan and allowance applications had not been processed and when Government policy decisions were made on the whim of Tory Ministers rather than on any sound policy advice. I agree with Judith Collins when she said that Gerry Brownlee is as useless as tits on a bull. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Is there an objection? 
Gerry Brownlee 
: We just want to know the rules. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: It was a quote as I understand it that was made. 
Judith Collins 
: I raise a point of order Madam Speaker. It is not a quote; it is not accurate. The only person who has said that in this House is the Prime Minister. She speaks like that; the rest of us do not. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: My understanding was that it was in response to a quote that was made. Many quotes have been made in this House and in the context of this debate to stop one we would have to stop them all. 
Dianne Yates 
: In what key areas has the number of Government employees increased since 1999? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: We have employed 2700 extra teachers over and above those needed for roll growth 950 extra medical doctors 3300 extra nurses over 800 extra prison officers and well over 1000 extra police staff. I want to know from John Key which one of those he is going to cut. 
John Key 
: How does the Minister interpret the advice he recently received from Treasury which stated that increases in State sector output do not appear to have been achieved as a result of any increases in costs and is this one of the reasons why his finance Minister Dr Cullen is now embarking on a programme of cutting at least $400 million per annum from future baselines with or without his help? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I am not going to leak Budget secrets but I assure the member that next year’s baselines are higher than this. [ 
Interruption 
] 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Interjections are permitted but not barracking. Would the Minister please continue with his answer. 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Having looked at the Minister of Finance I think it is possible to share with the House the fact that next year’s baselines will be higher than this year’s—not a $400 million cut as said by that member. 
Hon Marian Hobbs 
: Has the Minister had any Wellington representations on John Key’s promise to cut the number of public servants to pay for tax increases? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: It is my understanding that Mr Blumsky supports Mr English and that is why John Key is attacking Wellington. 
Peter Brown 
: Will the Minister clarify the situation by stating how many people were employed in the public service when the Government came into power how many are employed now and how the Government justifies the significant percentage increase? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: I could go into all the details but it is fair to say the overall growth is running at about the same rate of growth as the rate of growth in jobs generally. 
Sue Kedgley 
: Will he be supporting the Greens’ flexible working-hours member’s bill to allow employees with young or disabled children the right to request to work flexibly given his Government’s stated commitment to help State servants—indeed all New Zealanders—achieve a better work-life balance which he announced yesterday in his  
Work-Life Balance: a resource for State Services 
? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: The Government will certainly support the bill to the select committee. In fact a flexible work approach is quite common amongst many members across the Chamber. 
Tariana Turia 
: What explanation does the Minister offer for the fact that the median salary of Maori staff in the public service is only 92 percent of non-Maori staff a gap that is particularly significant within the manager occupation category? 
Hon TREVOR MALLARD 
: Maori staff in the public service tend to have lower qualifications and less experience and there are not as many of them in senior management as a result of that. As a result of all of that salaries on average are lower.