Key Takeaways
- The Ministry of Health is planning to cut 21 roles at the Public Health Agency, including positions in emergency management, pandemic preparedness, and Māori public health.
- The Public Service Association (PSA) claims the move is driven by the government’s "reckless" budget-cutting and will leave New Zealand vulnerable to disease and natural disasters.
- Public health experts warn that the loss of critical expertise will make New Zealand more vulnerable to pandemics and climate change.
- The proposed changes are expected to be in place by April 2026.
- The cuts include a significant reduction in the emergency management team, from 11 roles to just two, and a reduction in the Māori Public Health team from six staff to two.
Introduction to the Issue
The Ministry of Health is facing criticism for its plan to cut 21 roles at the Public Health Agency, including positions in emergency management, pandemic preparedness, and Māori public health. The Public Service Association (PSA) has spoken out against the move, claiming that it is driven by the government’s "reckless" budget-cutting and will leave New Zealand vulnerable to disease and natural disasters. The proposed changes are expected to be in place by April 2026, and the PSA has expressed concern about the impact on the country’s ability to respond to public health crises.
Impact on Emergency Management and Māori Public Health
The biggest impact of the cuts will be felt in the emergency management team, which will shrink from 11 roles to just two, and the Māori Public Health team, which could drop from six staff to two. The PSA national secretary, Fleur Fitzsimons, has stated that the loss of skills and expertise in these areas will be a huge loss for New Zealanders, particularly given the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters and pandemics. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of planning and public health in emergency situations, and the PSA is concerned that the cuts will leave New Zealand unprepared for future crises.
Reaction from Public Health Experts
Public health experts have expressed concern about the proposed cuts, with Otago University public health professor Nick Wilson describing them as "deeply worrying". Professor Wilson notes that other countries are gearing up their public health expertise in response to rising threats from pandemics and climate change, and that New Zealand should be investing more in pandemic preparedness. Infectious disease expert Professor Michael Baker has also spoken out against the cuts, stating that the COVID-19 pandemic showed how crucial planning and public health is in an emergency, and that the loss of expertise and momentum will be detrimental to the country’s ability to respond to future crises.
Māori Health Inequities
The cuts to the Māori Public Health team have also raised concerns about the government’s commitment to addressing Māori health inequities. When the Māori health authority Te Aka Whai Ora was disestablished, there was a commitment that its functions and expertise would be retained in the Health Ministry and Health NZ. However, the cuts to the Māori Public Health team put this commitment in doubt, and Professor Baker has expressed concern that the loss of expertise will exacerbate existing health inequities for Māori. The Wellington High Court will hear an application on Monday challenging the crown’s decision to disestablish Te Aka Whai Ora on the grounds that it breaches the rights of Māori and undermines tino rangatiratanga.
Response from the Ministry of Health
The Director-General of Health, Audrey Sonerson, has stated that the ministry has started a change consultation with two groups within the organisation, and that affected staff have had meetings to outline the proposed changes to their roles. The ministry expects any confirmed changes to organisational structure to be in place by April 2026. However, the PSA has expressed concern that the consultation process is rushed, and that the proposed changes will have a significant impact on the country’s ability to respond to public health crises. The ministry has also proposed bringing the suicide prevention team under a new ‘lived experiences team’, but has stated that there is no proposal to reduce the size of the team.