42559 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Social Development and Employment

42559 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister for Social Development and Employment: In the Minister’s departments, ministries and agencies, if any, how many employees, if any, are set to lose their roles have a focus on working with Māori, between 27 November 2023 and 10 July 2024?

Hon Louise Upston: I am advised by the Ministry of Social Development (the Ministry) that whilst the Ministry are not planning on a reduction in positions that focus on either Pasifika or Māori, the Māori, Communities and Partnerships group within MSD accepted five voluntary redundancies from across two teams that focus on working with Māori and Pasifika. These teams, Māori Partnerships and Programmes and Pacific and Community Capability Programmes undertake a broad range of partnership initiatives on behalf of the Ministry and will continue to focus on improving outcomes for these populations. The Māori, Communities are Partnerships group are not pursing any change consultation or targeted role reductions at this time. This is also my response to Written Parliamentary Question 42546 (2024).