Bob Edlin: Count the number of Finnish public servants.....

Count the number of Finnish public servants to see what happens when you trim govt department numbers

Paul Goldsmith, Minister for the Public Service and Digitising Government, was raring to go when asked what action the Government was taking to improve services and deliver better value for money in the public service.

The patsy question was lobbed by National MP David MacLeod.

Goldsmith replied that he and Finance Minister Nicola Willis the previous day had announced the Government would be embarking on a fundamental overhaul of the Public Service to lift productivity and deliver better value for money, and to improve services for all New Zealanders.

This comprises three elements:

• Streamlining the number of Government agencies and entities,
• Digitising the Public Service to make it easier and more affordable to interact with the Government, and
• Returning the size of the Public Service “to a more sustainable level that aligns with historic norms.

Then came a supplementary question.

David MacLeod: How will streamlining the number of Government agencies and entities improve services, lift productivity, and deliver better value for money?

Hon PAUL GOLDSMITH: Well, New Zealand has 39 departments and ministries administering budget lines. That compares with

• 16 in Australia,

• 24 in the UK, and

• 12 in Finland.

Goldsmith contended:

More departments equal more management and administration functions that are duplicated across the Public Service, more interdepartmental consultation, and more costs for citizens and businesses, who must multiply their interactions across the Government.

Public Service agencies have been asked to come up with proposals to logically merge their existing activities around citizen-facing functions using common technology platforms, and the Government expects there will be fewer agencies over the next three to five years.

But what is the relationship between fewer government departments and fewer public servants?

Without the resources of the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Public Service and Digitising Government, and facing time constraints, PoO turned to Google.

Our question: How many public servants per capita are there in New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and Finland?

We sought responses from Google AI, using artificial intelligence of a sort the Ministers are championing.

The goods were delivered with the usual caveat: AI responses may include mistakes.

Having advised readers of that caution, PoO hereby regurgitates the responses –

New Zealand

New Zealand’s core public service currently sits at approximately 1.2% of the total population. In terms of a per capita ratio, this translates to roughly 12 public servants per 1,000 New Zealanders (or 0.012 per capita).

The core public service includes ministries and government departments (e.g., Ministry of Social Development, Ministry of Education).

There are currently just over 63,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) public servants in New Zealand, equating to about 1.2% of the population.

The wider Public Sector is gauged by including everyone paid out of public funds—such as teachers, nurses, police officers, and defense personnel.

The broader public sector accounts for roughly 20% of New Zealand’s total workforce.

According to historical data from the OECD, New Zealand’s general public sector is relatively small compared to international peers:

• New Zealand: Employs roughly 52 public servants per 1,000 people under the broader global definition.
• OECD Average: Sits higher at 63 public servants per 1,000 people.
• Workforce Share: The broader public sector accounts for ~16% to 19% of New Zealand’s workforce compared to the OECD average of over 21%.

Australia

There are approximately 96 public servants per 1,000 people in Australia. This translates to roughly 1 public servant for every 10.4 residents, or 9.6% of the total population.

When evaluating public service data, a distinction must be made between the Australian Public Service (APS), the federal administrative core, and the broader total public sector (which includes federal, state, and local governments, alongside essential frontline workers like teachers, nurses, and police officers).

The total workforce is divided across three levels of government:

• Total Public Sector Work Force: Approximately 2.6 million workers out of a population of roughly 27 million.
• State and Territory Governments: Approximately 1.99 million workers (making up the largest portion due to healthcare and education).
• Federal Government (APS and Federal Agencies): Approximately 360,000–390,000 workers.
• Local Governments: Approximately 219,000 workers.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has approximately 5.3 million public sector workers, meaning there is roughly one public servant for every 12 to 13 people in the general population.

This translates to an employment rate of roughly 82 public sector workers per 1,000 residents.

This broad 5.3 million figure (around 18% of all jobs) encompasses everyone on the public payroll, which breaks down into more specific per capita categories: [1]

• The UK Civil Service: Approximately 550,000 employees (about 1 civil servant per 120 citizens).
• National Health Service (NHS): The largest segment at 2.7 million workers (about 1 NHS worker per 25 citizens).
• Local Government & Central Agencies: 2.2 million employees working in councils, education, police, and armed forces.

Finland

Finland has 62.2 public servants per 1,000 people, according to comparative data compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Public Sector Workforce Breakdown

To understand the size of Finland’s public administration relative to its population and workforce, consider these key metrics:

• Per Capita Ratio:
• Finland employs roughly 62.2 public servants per 1,000 inhabitants, which sits close to the overall OECD average of 63.3 per 1,000 people.
• Share of Total Employment:
• Approximately 22.7% to 25% of the total Finnish workforce is employed within the broader public sector.
• This is higher than the average OECD public sector workforce share of 21.2%.
• Total Public Employment:
• The wider public sector in Finland employs approximately 622,000 people out of a total population of roughly 5.6 million.
• Central Government Share:
• Out of the total public workforce, the Finnish central government employs 81,026 people directly.This core group represents about 3.6% of all salary earners in the country and 12.5% of the total public sector.

When it comes to the crunch, Finland’s performance does not suggest fewer departments will result in fewer public servants per capita than here.

Anyone betting on the prospect of the reforms resulting in fewer Ministers of the Crown?

Bob Edlin is a veteran journalist and editor for the Point of Order blog HERE. - where this article was sourced.