All government agencies must release contractor spending

The New Zealand Public Service Association has demanded that all government agencies should follow the lead of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and release details of their spending on contractors. PSA National Secretary Glenn Barclay says “since National came into power in 2008, pay and working conditions have deteriorated, so that many people with in-demand skills choose to leave permanent jobs and become contractors. A healthy and vibrant public service should be able to provide good jobs which are fairly rewarded, and these figures show that’s not happening. (…) New Zealanders expect good public services to be delivered by dedicated employees. Instead, millions of dollars is going straight into the private sector’s coffers.” He also said “the government needs to explain why ministries are becoming increasingly casualised.”