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OPINION: Finance Minister Nicola Willis has targeted cuts in the public service to balance the books, particularly the spend on consultants, drawing trenchant criticism from... consultants.
The Hound notes Willis set the public service a target of eliminating $400 million in operating expenditure on contractors and consultants by 2024/25.
In 2023/24, savings of $274 million were achieved.
Last year the public service was on track, after the first quarter, to achieve savings of about $500 million - savings forecast to continue over the next three quarters, which means savings over the two-year period could total more than $800 million.
It shows operational expenditure by departments on contractors and consultants fell a further 46% in the September quarter on an annualised basis.
Great news, unless you're an overpaid consultant!
OPINION: Ruth Richardson, architect of the 1991 ‘Mother of all Budgets’ and the economic reforms dubbed ‘Ruthanasia’, added her two cents to the Treaty Principles Bill with a submission that essentially says it’s time to “have the sovereign authority” define the principles of the Treaty “by design” rather than continue to let them be defined “by accident” by unaccountable institutions like activists in the Courts, the Waitangi Tribunal and officialdom.
OPINION: Why do vegans and others opposed to eating meat try to convince others that a plant based diet is the best, when they themselves actively seek out veg-based products that taste like meat?
OPINION: We are told there is a wine glut - production outstripping demand worldwide - and the words 'wine lakes' are being thrown around.
OPINION: Science funding for the bulwark of the nation, agriculture, is in a parlous state and less taxpayer money is shelled out for it every year.
OPINION: Back in the 1960s and '70s, and even into the '80s, successive National government Agriculture Ministers and Trade Ministers were at the top of the cabinet rankings.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is having another crack at increasing the fees of its chair and board members.
An innovative dairy effluent management system is being designed to help farmers improve on-farm effluent practices and reduce environmental impact.
Maori farms from Northland and Northern Hawkes Bay are the finalists in this year’s prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy competition for the top Maori sheep and beef farm.
The supreme dairy exhibit at the New Zealand Dairy Event (NZDE) has a close family link to a cow who has won the same title three times.
Fonterra has updated its plan to divest its global consumer business and integrated businesses, Fonterra Oceania and Fonterra Sri Lanka.
OPINION: Ruth Richardson, architect of the 1991 ‘Mother of all Budgets’ and the economic reforms dubbed ‘Ruthanasia’, added her two…
OPINION: Why do vegans and others opposed to eating meat try to convince others that a plant based diet is…
