The MBIE is proposing to cut the team that handles 1.8 million customer interactions a week with businesses and the public by about 25% as it responds to the Government’s cost cutting drive,” according to the Public Service Association (PSA).
The PSA is New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 90,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has proposed reducing its Information and Education (I&E) team by 30 roles, out of approximately 120 roles covered by its change proposal released in early April.
The I&E team sits within the MBIE’s Engagement & Experience branch which has a “stewardship role over the MBIE’s frontline customer information and education channels”, the change proposal says.
In the proposal, the MBIE says the team supports more than 1.8 million customer interactions every week via the channels, products, and partnerships it is responsible for across the MBIE’s functions in areas such as business regulation, building, immigration, tenancy and employment.
The team helps to make it easy for people and businesses to understand their rights and obligations, and to do the right thing, the change proposal says.
The work of the team includes overseeing and providing content for web sites, the intranet, social media, publications and newsletters, and events, including webinars.
It also includes staff working on community engagement and supporting Maori Service delivery.
The team provides information and education that helps people act with the confidence of knowing how to deal with regulatory requirements and access the information they need, the PSA’s Duane Leo says.
“This is just another cut to community and public services that are hollowing out the ability of government agencies to deliver the support businesses and people need,” Leo says.
“These cuts are driven by the Government’s misguided choice to pursue tax cuts rather than making public services more effective,” he says.
“The PSA will keep opposing these cuts and advocating for community and public services that will build a better future for Aotearoa.”
This MBIE proposal for cuts is one of many at the MBIE, which has also called for voluntary redundancies. It has been required by the Government to find 7.5% in spending cuts.
