The Ministry for Primary Industries is shedding 391 posts or about 10% of its staff as it complies with a government requirement to find savings of 7.5%.
In an email to staff today, MPI director-general Ray Smith says this is slightly higher than the initial proposal to reduce the staff count by 384 and follows more than 1500 submissions from staff and unions.
He confirmed there have been no reductions to frontline services or statutory roles such as veterinarians, animal welfare, fishery and food compliance officers, or biosecurity teams at the border.
Smith said 133 current staff will be made redundant.
The balance of the 391 job cuts include 65 positions from people who have left MPI since the consultation started through natural attrition or early redundancy.
A further 193 are vacant positions that will not be filled as they are not considered critical roles.
“We have been able to reduce the impact on affected staff through holding vacancies, offering early redundancy, and retaining additional roles in some business units,” he says in the email to staff.
Smith said the changes retain the existing business unit structure and will not “fundamentally disrupt the way we are organised so we can continue delivering excellent service and support to our sectors”.
Submissions from unions and staff have influenced his decision.
In the Biosecurity New Zealand business unit an alternative proposal for changes to the Animal and Plant Health directorate contributed to the retention of 22 biosecurity positions.
Feedback has influenced changes to regional support for catchment groups in the Agriculture & Investment Services unit.
A mix of six retained positions and greater co-ordination with the MPI’s on-farm support service will provide on-the-ground service for farmers and their work.
Smith said the changes apply from July 1 and the MPI is offering those being made redundant the opportunity to apply for vacancies.
