March 25, 2024
Covid roles made redundant says welfare minister
Social Development Minister Louise Upston says roles created during Covid will end.
Ministries are looking for job cuts to meet the Government’s cost saving targets, with Health and Primary Industris last week announing they would each shed around 200 staff.
Ms Upston she can see positions in her ministry which are no longer needed.
“What I don’t think we should do is gear up and staff up and keep staff up that we have employed through periods of time like Covid. They’re not required any more. Unfortunately in some instances when programmes need to end there’ll be staff associated with those programmes that also needs to end,” she says.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment says it has already received more than 100 applications for voluntary redundancy, with 300 positions set to go.