Contradicting views of impact of DOC staff cuts

There are contradicting views on the impact staff cuts are having on the Department of Conservation.

Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson says she's not seen a reduction in outputs from DOC as a result of restructuring and a reduction in frontline staff numbers.

She says she hasn't observed any changes in outcomes or outputs and indicates there have been efficiencies found.

But Green MP Eugenie Sage says DOC's annual report and updates on its work to protect threatened species shows otherwise.

She says they show DOC hasn't met the targets it had set for itself.

Ms Sage says the reason often given is that technical staff weren't available and advice was short.

She says that's evidence restructuring has affected DOC's performance.

Labour MP Ruth Dyson says the Government's consistently claimed cost savings in the state sector wouldn't happen at the expense of frontline services, and that only backroom functions would be cut.

"I think it makes a real fool of the Ministry of Conservation and it certainly makes a lie of the statements that the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in particular have been making about what their cost-cutting would actually mean."

Since 2008, the Government's had a policy of moving resources in departments from the back office to the frontline.

However the Department of Conservation's annual report reveals its frontline to back office ratios have barely changed.

In 2010, DOC 64 percent of DOC's staff were frontline.

The ratio remained at that level in 2011 and in the last financial year increased by just three points to 67 percent.

Photo: Kate Wilkinson (NZ Herald)