Count the press secretaries

I remember an article in 1998 or 1999 criticising Jenny Shipley’s office for having too many comms/media people when we had six and a half or something. I was the half.

The latest ministerial phone list has a total of ten people in the comms/media area for Helen Clark. That’s more than the entire National Opposition.

If we add on the other Cabinet offices, there is a further 25 for 19 Cabinet Ministers. Half the front bench it seems now have two, not one, press secretaries.

Also add on the six outside Cabinet and that’s a grand total of 41 press secretaries or communications staffers.

No wonder unemployment is so low in Wellington 🙂