When in opposition Labour continually attacked National for the number of spin doctors employed by the government. But since Labour took office in 2017 the number of spin doctors has risen by more than 50%.
The number of communications staff working in the core public service has tipped over the 500 mark, an increase of more than 50 percent since Labour took office.
The data, collated by National, and verified by RNZ, showed there were 532.4 fulltime equivalent staff and contractors working in 32 different departments within the core public service (the data does not include Crown entities such as Te Whatu Ora or Waka Kotahi, or departments in the executive branch like the Defence Force or police).
The figures come from responses submitted by the different departments to select committee questions over their 2021-22 Annual Reviews. While the reviews covered the year ended 30 June, the responses were given in February and March of this year.
The 7.5 percent increase between 2020-21 and 2021-22 happened despite new guidance from the Public Service Commission over how to record communications staff.
National’s public service spokesperson Simeon Brown accused the government of trying to reduce the numbers through changing the definition, but still overseeing a “bloated bureaucracy.”
“The numbers have gone up, because this government has not got control of its public service. In terms of the number of staff, it just continues to blow out of control.”
RNZ
Spin, baby, spin. This is proof of Labour’s inability to govern without helping to massage (lie about) the messaging.
I’m starting to think that a good old-fashioned Roman decimation of spin doctors might be appropriate; then decimate them again, and again and again.
Same goes for other state sector jobs. The first tranche should be all those staff who haven’t set foot in the office for five consecutive days or are still working from home because… Covid!
That’d destroy most government departments in Wellington.
The government now has more spin doctors than the Army has Lance Corporals or nearly as many as the Army has Corporals and more spin doctors than the Army has officers below the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
The only things this government does well are make announcements about announcements and spend money like a drunken sailor.
The sad thing is, a National-led government is unlikely to cut the number of communications staff at all.
All that will happen is a shuffling around of where they are sitting.
Never before has “drain the swamp” been more relevant than it is now.
Where’s Malcolm Tucker when you need him? (Warning: Strong Language)
Help Fund Our NewsDesk
We are building a NewsDesk, hiring journalists and taking the fight to the mainstream media. Will you help fund our NewsDesk?
- For security reasons, credit card donations require Javascript. Please enable Javascript in your browser before continuing.
Your Donation
Your Recurring Donation
Donation Period *
Your One-Time Donation
Details First Name * Last Name * Email * Address Address 2 City State Postcode Country Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belau Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo (Brazzaville) Congo (Kinshasa) Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba CuraÇao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Republic of Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island North Korea North Macedonia Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Barthélemy Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin (French part) Saint Martin (Dutch part) Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino São Tomé and Príncipe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia/Sandwich Islands South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom (UK) United States (US) Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican Venezuela Vietnam Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Western Samoa Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Phone Number Payment Name on Card * .StripeElement { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 1em; } #charitable_stripe_card_errors { color: #eb1c26; font-size: .8em; margin: .5em 0 0 0; } Credit/Debit Card Donate
Please share this article so others can discover The BFD.
