Public sector job cuts: New stats show which industries lost and gained the most jobs

Earnings in the public sector rose over the year to March 31 but job numbers fell in the first quarter faster than in any other industry Stats NZ measures. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Public administration jobs fell the fastest of any sector in the March quarter as the Government’s job cuts took hold, but the accommodation industry showed strength.

The latest business employment data from Stats NZ showed 2.3 million jobs were filled in the March quarter, up by 7346 or 0.3 per cent from the December quarter.

Temporary jobs for election workers late last year also influenced the data.

The public administration and safety sector had the biggest decline by industry, down 2.5 per cent or 4247 jobs.

“The decrease in filled jobs for the public administration and safety industry reflects a reduction in temporary jobs related to the general election,” Stats NZ business employment insights manager Sue Chapman said.

The new statistics follow waves of actual and proposed job cuts in the civil service, some of which began in late 2023.

WorkSafe last September said it was aiming to cut 100-120 jobs while the Productivity Commission was disbanded in February.

Meanwhile, healthcare and social assistance was up 0.8 per cent, with 2092 jobs added in the first three months of this year.

The education and training sector added 1771 jobs, a 0.8 per cent increase on the December quarter.

The accommodation and food services sector added 1425 jobs, a 0.9 per cent increase on the prior quarter.

Hawke’s Bay, BoP show growth

Of the regions, Hawke’s Bay had the fastest job growth, up 1.0 per cent in the quarter, adding 802 jobs. The Bay of Plenty was close behind, up by 0.9 per cent or 1243 jobs.

In Canterbury, 1089 jobs were added, an increase of 0.4 per cent.

Auckland added 2376 jobs in the March quarter, an increase of 0.3 per cent. Waikato had the same growth rate as Auckland, adding 699 jobs.

Stats NZ said year-on-year, total gross earnings nationwide were up 8.6 per cent to $13.8 billion.

The biggest increases in total annual gross earnings for the year were in healthcare and social assistance, up 16 per cent.

Despite recent job losses, there were also significant annual increases in public administration and safety, up 13 per cent.

Total gross earnings for those in the education and training sector were up 11 per cent.

Stats NZ has itself been the subject of some more recent job cut proposals. The agency last month offered a voluntary redundancy scheme to all of its workers.