David Seymour says something has to change. Photo: RNZ / REECE BAKER
ACT leader and soon-to-be deputy prime minister David Seymour has criticised the ministerial line-up as looking "bloated" and full of "meaningless titles", as he calls for a smaller team of ministers, portfolios and departments.
In a speech to the Tauranga Business Chamber on Thursday, Seymour made the case for streamlining the executive government, saying the current set-up was "a big, complicated bureaucratic beast" and an example of "national paralysis".
"We currently have 82 ministerial portfolios... held by 28 ministers. And under them, we have 41 separate government departments," Seymour said.
"Something has to change... sure, that might put me and a few of my colleagues out of a job. But if that's the price... then it's worth it."
Under his proposal, the executive would be limited to just 20 ministers, all in Cabinet, with no associate positions, except in finance.
Seymour told RNZ ACT was simply floating the idea right now but suggested it could form part of a future coalition agreement prompting changes to the Cabinet manual or even legislation. The size and make-up of any executive is set by the prime minister, in this case, Christopher Luxon.
The plan would see the number of agencies slashed to 30 with each one overseen by a single minister, Seymour said. Ministers would be responsible for a "single clearly-defined policy area" rather than multiple portfolios handed out like "participation trophies".
Seymour singled out the Child Poverty Reduction position for criticism, calling it no more than "window dressing". The role was first held by former prime minister Dame Jacinda Ardern and now National's Louise Upston.
As well, Seymour questioned the need for other roles like Hospitality and the Voluntary Sector, also held by Upston, or Racing, held by NZ First leader Winston Peters.
Other portfolios named included Auckland, the South Island, Hunting and Fishing, and Space - all held by National MPs. Luxon created the new South Island position as part of a Cabinet reshuffle earlier this year, appointing first-termer MP James Meager.
"I'm not saying those aren't important communities," Seymour said.
"What I am saying is that creating a portfolio or a department named after the community is... not a substitute for good policy. It's not proof of delivery.
"It is an easy political gesture though. The cynics among us would say it's symbolism."
Seymour is currently Minister for Regulation, a new role secured by ACT during coalition negotiations. He also holds associate roles in finance, education, health and justice.
Preempting criticism that Seymour had himself created a new department, he said that was different as his was designed to cut bureaucratic bloat, not add to it.
"ACT... didn't set the table, but we're sitting at it. If we could set it, there would be a lot fewer placemats," Seymour said.
"New Zealanders deserve better than bloated bureaucracy and meaningless titles."
Seymour is also due to take over as deputy prime minister from Peters from 1 June. The transition was agreed during coalition negotiations. At the time, Luxon described the position as "largely a ceremonial role".
Looking abroad, Seymour noted that Ireland, with a similar population to New Zealand, had a constitutional cap of 15 ministers managing just 18 portfolios. Much larger countries like South Korea and the United Kingdom also managed with fewer ministers than New Zealand, he said.
He traced the current structure back to the introduction of MMP in the 1990s and the introduction of ministers outside Cabinet to accommodate coalition arrangements.
Speaking to RNZ, Seymour said he had not discussed the idea with Luxon and denied his comments were in any way a criticism of the prime minister or his coalition partners.
"We all signed up to do it this way. I just raise the question: Could there be a better way, and should we start talking about it?"
As well, Seymour accepted he would charged by some with hypocrisy given he had signed up to the existing conditions.
Asked whether his proposal to cut whole departments could feature in the looming Budget, Seymour said he had long advocated for that:
"Who knows? Maybe in the future, some of these dreams will become reality."
ACT campaigned on abolishing a suite of ministries, including Māori Development, Pacific Peoples, Women, and Ethnic Communities, as well as the Human Rights Commission.
Up to eight under-secretaries could be appointed as a "training ground" for future ministers, Seymour said. There are currently two parliamentary under-secretaries, positions held by ACT MP Simon Court and NZ First MP Jenny Marcroft.
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