Williamson Maurice: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Williamson Maurice: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:656;Page:5572] 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON (Minister for Building and Construction) 
: 
 There can be no other portfolio where the differences between National and Labour are more stark. Labour was about increasing the Public Service; National is about increasing services to the public. That is the major difference. I ask Labour members whether they have noticed something going on called the global recession. 
Hon Member 
: This has got nothing to do with that! 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON 
: In this country there is not an individual there is not a family and there is not a business that has not had to change its circumstances or its modus operandi to cut back on its operation and to make changes. But somehow Labour thinks the Public Service should be completely protected from that and it does not matter. 
For example in my own portfolio of customs trade is down—sadly. Trade is down for both exports and imports. The number of people who are travelling—both leaving and coming to our country—is down. What does Labour want us to do: keep the same number of people who were required for the old levels or somehow make appropriate adjustments to cope and yes when the growth comes back yes when those volumes come back bring people back on to the payroll? 
I want to share with members my personal favourites when it comes to numbers. Listen to what happened to the Public Service under the Labour Government. In 9 long years—9 long bitter years—the Public Service grew by 50 percent. 
Chris Tremain 
: You’re joking! 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON 
: No no. Members think I jest but it is true. Let me give the facts. In 1999 at the end of the National Government’s time there were 30702 people employed in the State Service bureaucracy—30000. Can members remember that? It is a nice round number—30000. By June 2008 not long before the last election the number was 45900. In fact the figure I like to give an audience—it is another one of my personal favourites—is that in the last 5 years of the Labour Government Public Service floor space in Wellington alone increased by 13.7 hectares. That is a fact—13.7 hectares. [ 
Interruption 
] Yes I have the numbers. Without question it increased by 13.7 hectares. 
I say to the Labour Opposition that these are tough times for everybody but if anything the Public Service is getting quite special and considered treatment. We are trying to redeploy people who are made redundant. We are trying to find them new jobs right across the Public Service so that we can accommodate their needs and requirements and we are being quite successful. 
But I repeat: it was Labour that was committed to increasing the Public Service and it is National that is committed to increasing services to the public. That is the difference. By the way people would imagine after hearing the whinging whining machine from the other side that Vote State Services must have been cut. I wondered whether that was the case. Hang on last year it was $216 million and this year it is $256 million. That is an 18 percent increase in Vote State Services. That is the Dreamtime we get from Labour members. They think money grows on trees out the back of Parliament— 
Hon Members 
: Where are the pixies? 
Hon MAURICE WILLIAMSON 
: Out where we will be sleeping from now on I understand. 
I tell members that I think National has done a sterling job of protecting most of the Public Service especially the front end from the sharp edges of the global downturn—and the edges have been very sharp for the private sector. We have been able to redeploy people move them around shift priorities and keep the cap of 38800 that the Prime Minister promised. 
Vote agreed to.