MPI confirms 391 job cuts, more than initially proposed

The Ministry for Primary Industries has confirmed that it will cut 391 roles, slightly more than the 384 initially proposed in March.

Of these disestablished roles, 65 have left due to natural attrition or early redundancy. 193 were vacant positions, and 133 were current roles that are directly affected by final decisions, director-general Ray Smith said.

This is around 10 per cent of the Ministry's workforce.

"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."

Smith said MPI has looked hard on where changes could be made and ensured the business unit structure was maintained.

"I can confirm that we will not be making any reductions to frontline services or statutory roles, such as veterinarians, animal welfare, fishery and food compliance officers, or our biosecurity teams at the border."

MPI is tasked with growing and sustaining primary industries such as farming, forestry, fishing, wine and food production.

The Public Service Association described the cuts to "our first line of defence" as "reckless short-term thinking" from the Government and said such a reduction "can only weaken" the work the Ministry does.

Assistant secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the Government's decision to force MPI to slash spending is "baffling".

"While MPI maintains no frontline roles are impacted, the PSA is concerned that such a large reduction in the workforce will impact the ability of frontline biosecurity officers, fisheries officers, vets and others to do their job."

Primary producers should question whether the agency can still be effective in the face of crises like Mycoplasma bovis and the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, she said.

"This is a complex Ministry with many moving parts. These changes will only increase the workloads of remaining staff, and will see the loss of experienced, specialist staff who have been at the Ministry for many years.

"The PSA remains opposed to these job losses."

Changes will come into effect on July 1.

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