David Farrar: We still have more public servants than a year ago

The media and the left have reported on the reductions in public service numbers as some form of brutal year zero policy which would have you think the Government has turned the clock back decades.

The reality is that we have 421 more (FTE) public servants than a year ago. Yes the reduction in the first six months of 2024, is less than the increase inn the last six months of 2023 under Labour.

Basically they went up 4% in the last six months of Labour and dropped 3.3% in the first six months of National. Where were all the stories about why public sector agencies were massively increasing their staff numbers during the caretaker period before an election?

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.