MAF/MFish merger to realise savings; front line functions remain secure

24 August 2011

A MAF which will deliver on its organisational strategy and better serve New Zealand, is the aim of consultation proposals released to MAF staff today.

MAF and the Ministry of Fisheries merged on 1 July, and an interim structure has been in place since, led by Director General, Wayne McNee. The current consultation considers the remaining structural changes needed to complete the merger.

If implemented as proposed, the changes would realise savings of more than $18 million in the 2012/13 financial year. And Wayne McNee says these savings would occur without reducing the front line services delivered by MAF.

Wayne McNee says: "The primary sectors are enormously important to New Zealand's economic future and they need to be served by a Ministry that is future focused, agile and enabling."

"Our Ministry will partner with the primary sector to maximise export opportunities and improve sector productivity, while increasing sustainable resource use and protecting New Zealand from biological risks. We will also ensure our services provide good value to New Zealand."

Wayne McNee says the proposals include combining and streamlining functions such as financial management, policy advice, and communications. In areas where there is a strong business case, such as IT, there are proposals to out-source some functions.

Other reductions in position numbers would occur through a realignment of the management structures of the two legacy Ministries. Many of the positions proposed to reduce are currently vacant.

However, Wayne McNee says there are no proposals to reduce numbers of current staff who are:

• Fishery officers
• Animal welfare inspectors and investigators
• Quarantine inspectors.

"We will continue to deliver the front-line services that we know are valued by New Zealanders, and ensure these are of a high standard," says Wayne McNee.

Wayne McNee says changes to staff levels have been balanced against the need to ensure front-line services will continue to be delivered and improved. Under the proposals, MAF estimates the number of positions would reduce by 241, of which 97 are currently vacant. The majority of that reduction would occur in Wellington, where MAF has its head office.

Wayne McNee says that final decisions on the outcome of the consultation process will be announced in October.