John Key - Video Journal 32 on capping the bureaucracy

12 March. John starts off with thanks to his growing community of supporters on Facebook and then turns to today's major policy speech on curbing the growth of bureaucracy. Under the new policy, National would freeze the current level of "core bureaucrat" employment while it investigates ways to do the same work more efficiently at a lower cost. This could save the taxpayer around half a billion dollars over three years without damaging the delivery of services.

"The fastest growing sector in the economy since 2000 has not been agriculture, it has not been retail trade, transport, manufacturing, personal services, or finance and business services. No, the fastest growing sector in the economy since 2000 has been government administration.

"We are not going to reduce the number of front-line staff. Let me make this absolutely clear -- under National the numbers of doctors, nurses, teachers, social workers, police and other front-line staff will grow.

"I firmly believe we have enough bureaucrats to do the job already and that the priority for resources in the state sector is the delivery of front-line services.

"And by keeping a lid on the size of the bureaucracy, we will, over time, restore a sensible balance between the number of state employees who are giving advice to the government and the number who are delivering front-line services.

"When it comes to the bureaucracy, it is clear that Labour has spent eight years doing the same with more. It's high time we started doing more with the same."

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[linuxluver]

Last time they "cut the bureaucracy", we had things falling over and not being fixed. Food safety laws weren't enforced for lack of resource. Accountability broke down in important areas. Problems arising then couldn't be addressed. People got TB and were not being followed up, risking an epidemic. The list is LONG. The high attrition rate is due to the poor working conditions. We're only just getting over the damage the last National government did to public services. I don't vote for Labour.

[NZNats]

Read the speech before you jump to these conclusions, please.

[adam60883]

National stop increasing the debt: 178% GDP 2015

[jesmariah]

we will need 'more' bureaucracy under National's government...they are a functionalist party... they will need alot of policy advisors and analysts...

[hansonron]

John Key's got a problem. It seems the happy personality is beginning to unravel a little. He seems stiff and awkward. John, we're going to need a much improved performance if we're going to pull this thing of. We need who you are, a fluency in popular culture and real true blue evidence of the innovation we know you believe in. Let's put this picture together.

[sypherffs]

"Anmahoney" It is quite large for the size of our country (i think) the UN slammed it for being excessively large.

Anywho reminds me of a saying, the bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy.

[anmahoney]

Anyone who thinks the bureaucracy is bad in New Zealand should try going to Russia, the bureaucracy in NZ is minimalistic in comparison. In my opinion, capping the number of bureaurcrats is unnecessary.

[shreddakj]

i didn't even mention any legislation lol, i was just pointing out that the increase in bureaucracy is ridiculous.

[Lagwagon555]

I think he means which legislation do you object to...

[shreddakj]

that doesn't even make sense.