29360 (2025). Hon Jenny Salesa to the Minister of Customs

29360 (2025). Hon Jenny Salesa to the Minister of Customs: What is the estimated cost of Customs-related redundancy payments between December 2023 and June 2025, and how does this compare to the estimated cost of rebuilding that capacity over the next four years?

Hon Casey Costello: I am advised that for the period 1 December 2023 to 9 June 2025, the total cost of New Zealand Customs Service (Customs) redundancy payments was $4,783,547.39. During Customs 2024 Organisational Change Programme, Customs took a deliberate approach to the staff changes it made. The objective was to operate as efficiently as possible, while continuing to deliver on the Government’s priorities without impacting the ability to deliver services and critical support functions, while managing future cost pressures. Customs looked at existing vacancies and current positions to see where those responsibilities could be removed or incorporated into other roles, without compromising services and critical support functions. Currently Customs has no plans to rebuild this capacity.