New Zealand’s Budget 2023 has received praise from the Public Service Association (PSA) for the emphasis on establishing a robust public service for New Zealanders. 

PSA National Secretary Kerry Davies expressed approval of the focus of the budget. 

“Budget 2023 hits many of the right notes in terms of continued investment in public and community services and workers, as well as taking a long-term view of the challenges we have to build resilience,” she said. 

“To face the challenges we have seen from the pandemic and from severe climate events, we need investment in people and services.” 

The PSA expressed appreciation for the funding allocated towards addressing gender and ethnic pay gaps, as well as the initial funding for extending pay equity to community social workers.  

They also welcomed the allocation of half a billion dollars to reduce pay disparities between community and hospital workers, while emphasizing their expectation that the government should work towards reducing disparities among all community health workers. 

“There is serious inequity between those delivering funded services in the community over those directly employed in hospitals and we will be seeking more information on this,” Davies said. 

“We also welcome the removal of the minimum wage exemption for disabled workers which has been a long-standing discrimination. We have fought hard to remove this as disabled workers deserve to be paid the same as anyone else doing the same work.” 

In light of the pandemic and severe climate events, Davies emphasized the need for investments in people and services to confront these challenges. The PSA states that they also plan to seek further information on the significant inequity between staff delivering funded services in the community and those directly employed in hospitals. 

The PSA further commended the $2.3 billion in funding to implement the Public Sector Pay Adjustment. 

“This is about valuing the work people do in the public service across the country to support people, and businesses to prosper, and deal with our long-term challenges,” Davies said. 

“Overall, Budget 2023 is a budget for our times. But if we are going to keep facing our challenges, this commitment to strong public and community services must continue.” 

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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