5638 (2024). Hūhana Lyndon to the Minister of Agriculture

5638 (2024). Hūhana Lyndon to the Minister of Agriculture: Are there dedicated kaupapa Māori positions in Ministry for Primary Industries (Agriculture), if so, how many, if any, are expected to be disestablished as part of the announced public sector cuts?

Hon Todd McClay: The Ministry for Primary Industries has staff across all business units working to support the Māori primary sector and supporting Māori capability improvement. In addition, there is a dedicated Māori Partnership and Investment team supporting Māori landowners and agribusiness. As part of the Budget 2024/25 programme, MPI was asked by the Government to find savings of 7.5 percent for the financial year starting 1 July 2024. MPI’s cost savings work will include a mix of programme reductions and the staffing proposals currently out for consultation. MPI is not proposing any reductions to frontline services and statutory roles, such as veterinarians, animal welfare, fishery and food compliance officers, or biosecurity teams at the border. MPI is currently consulting with staff and no final decisions have been made.