Ministerial Staff Numbers

NZPA compares Ministerial staff numbers between National and Labour:

• 15% reduction in number of staff in Ministerial offices from 176 to 150
• 29% reduction in number of staff in the PM’s Office from 34 to 24
• 30% reduction in number of press secretaries from 47 to 33

That’s a big reduction considering there are just as many Ministers. It is unclear how much the total cost of offices has declined, because the staff are getting paid more than previously:

• Seven staff paid more than $150,000 (two previously)
• 28 staff paid under $50,000 (41 previously)

The hours are bloody long in the Beehive, which gets reflected in the salaries. Very few of the senior staff would ever get home in time to see the news – sometimes not even home in time to see the late news!