How big bucks are paid to cut red tape – and to polish the press statements that tell us about it
Regulation Minister David Seymour has proudly announced his Ministry has published an Economic Analysis Issues paper as part of the ongoing agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review.
The analysis is part of the regulatory review’s mission to identify unnecessary red tape and make things easier for growers and producers around New Zealand.
Seymour did not mention how many staff have been involved in this exercise in red-tape cutting or the cost.
But Point of Order notes from media reports that the average salary for staff in Seymour’s new Ministry for Regulation is more than $150,000.
What’s more, according to The Post, the Wellington agency is more than three times the size of the Productivity Commission it replaced, hiring 91 staff.
That’s despite ACT, and coalition partner National, campaigning to reduce the public sector wage bill, make 15,000 public servants redundant and slash “wasteful spending” in the sector.
The anti-red tape ministry was a flagship policy for Seymour at last year’s election and was established in March.
Responding to written questions from Green Party MP Francisco Hernandez, Seymour had confirmed that the median and mean salary of fixed-term and permanent Ministry employees is $154,500 and $152,034.
That makes the median ministry salary 82% higher than that of the average public servant, which is $84,000.
Seymour also confirmed the permanent structure will have 91 employees.
When it ceased operations at the end of February, 21 Productivity Commission workers lost their jobs. They received a total of $339,300 in redundancy payments.
The new ministry has three deputy chief executives earning up to $350,000. Five staff are on between $196,000 and $257,000 a year.
Seven managers, a head of ministerial services and a “head of people and operations” will be paid up to $224,313.
The salary of chief executive Gráinne Moss was not disclosed.
The Taxpayers Union isn’t too thrilled by Seymour’s deregulatory empire-building.
Responding to reports that the Ministry for Regulation is hiring a ‘principal adviser, engagement and communications’ with a salary of up to $168,000 year, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson, Jordan Williams, said:
“This Government, but particularly ACT, was elected to slash waste, but recruiting five communications staff at what should be our leanest Ministry tells another story.
“The Ministry for Regulation needs more people with twink deleting the onerous rules and regulations that stifle productivity, not someone to ‘enhance the Ministry’s reputation’.
“The Ministry’s reputation will be enhanced when they cut off tentacles of red tape choking our economy, not when they put out a polished press release telling you what a great job they’re doing.”
But the press releases could benefit from a bit more polish.
The ministers press statement includes a link in the first sentence:
The Ministry for Regulation has published an Economic Analysis Issues paper as part of the ongoing agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review.
When the Buzz team clicked it, we were told:
This site can’t be reached
Check if there is a typo in c.
If spelling is correct, try running Windows Network Diagnostics.
The announcement is joined on the government’s official website by news that-
But Point of Order notes from media reports that the average salary for staff in Seymour’s new Ministry for Regulation is more than $150,000.
What’s more, according to The Post, the Wellington agency is more than three times the size of the Productivity Commission it replaced, hiring 91 staff.
That’s despite ACT, and coalition partner National, campaigning to reduce the public sector wage bill, make 15,000 public servants redundant and slash “wasteful spending” in the sector.
The anti-red tape ministry was a flagship policy for Seymour at last year’s election and was established in March.
Responding to written questions from Green Party MP Francisco Hernandez, Seymour had confirmed that the median and mean salary of fixed-term and permanent Ministry employees is $154,500 and $152,034.
That makes the median ministry salary 82% higher than that of the average public servant, which is $84,000.
Seymour also confirmed the permanent structure will have 91 employees.
When it ceased operations at the end of February, 21 Productivity Commission workers lost their jobs. They received a total of $339,300 in redundancy payments.
The new ministry has three deputy chief executives earning up to $350,000. Five staff are on between $196,000 and $257,000 a year.
Seven managers, a head of ministerial services and a “head of people and operations” will be paid up to $224,313.
The salary of chief executive Gráinne Moss was not disclosed.
The Taxpayers Union isn’t too thrilled by Seymour’s deregulatory empire-building.
Responding to reports that the Ministry for Regulation is hiring a ‘principal adviser, engagement and communications’ with a salary of up to $168,000 year, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson, Jordan Williams, said:
“This Government, but particularly ACT, was elected to slash waste, but recruiting five communications staff at what should be our leanest Ministry tells another story.
“The Ministry for Regulation needs more people with twink deleting the onerous rules and regulations that stifle productivity, not someone to ‘enhance the Ministry’s reputation’.
“The Ministry’s reputation will be enhanced when they cut off tentacles of red tape choking our economy, not when they put out a polished press release telling you what a great job they’re doing.”
But the press releases could benefit from a bit more polish.
The ministers press statement includes a link in the first sentence:
The Ministry for Regulation has published an Economic Analysis Issues paper as part of the ongoing agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review.
When the Buzz team clicked it, we were told:
This site can’t be reached
Check if there is a typo in c.
If spelling is correct, try running Windows Network Diagnostics.
The announcement is joined on the government’s official website by news that-
* Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has the first of eight new digital radiography machines is now operational at Wellington Regional Hospital. This new technology provides “faster, higher quality x-rays.”
Reti did not mention the cost, other than to say:
“This upgrade aligns with my focus on improving access to diagnostic radiology across all radiology services and builds on the $30 million investment in community-referred radiology services I announced earlier this year to reduce barriers to x-rays, CT scans, and diagnostic ultrasounds.”
- The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Tani, will visit New Zealand this week.
- The Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, will visit New Zealand on 27-28 August.
Latest from the Beehive
The Ministry for Regulation has published an Economic Analysis Issues paper as part of the ongoing agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review.
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has announced significant improvements in radiology services in the Wellington region, with the first of eight new digital radiography machines now operational at Wellington Regional Hospital.
20 August 2024
Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, will visit New Zealand this week, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced.
Minister for Trade and Agriculture, Todd McClay today announced the Government will welcome the Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, to New Zealand on 27-28 August.
In his statement, David Seymour said the Ministry for Regulation’s Economic Analysis Issues paper
“… marks a critical step in our commitment to streamline access to new agricultural and horticultural products while ensuring that we maintain sound safety and environmental protections. We’re looking to build a regulatory environment that better serves our farmers and growers, enhancing their competitiveness and productivity.
“This review is important to define how we can speed up the process to get our farmers and growers access to the sorts of safe, innovative products they need to remain competitive. “
The Ministry’s engagement hub is open for submissions until 8 September. Seymour is encouraging people to have their say.
The Ministry is also engaging with those who import, manufacture, or sell agricultural and horticulture products – as well as regulators and agencies responsible for regulatory systems, and relevant interested groups.”
The review will explore various facets of the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) and Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) regulatory systems. Its focus is on simplifying the approval paths for agricultural products, reducing overlap, and ensuring that regulations are fit for purpose and economically justified.
Point of Order is a blog focused on politics and the economy run by veteran newspaper reporters Bob Edlin and Ian Templeton
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