The size of the NZ Public Service workforce, as at December 31 2025, has just been released. The Public Service workforce grew by 1.6% over the previous 12 months. As of December 2025, approximately 13.2% of New Zealand’s working-age population (around 427,236 people) was receiving a main benefit, marking a 12-year high. The, also just released, GDP growth for the December 2025 quarter was 0.2%. Who will, with credibility, propose to shrink the size of government in NZ to a level that allows genuine comparison with the best of the OECD?

Source: Stuff March 21, 2026 20:40 UTC