Grant Robertson

Health Minister Tony Ryall needs to be up front about the loss of up to 500 jobs that will be part of the establishment of a new health bureaucracy, Labour's Grant Robertson said today.

"Tony Ryall needs to guarantee to all New Zealanders that the cuts will not affect the services they receive, and that those facing the axe aren't just thrown on the unemployment heap," Grant Robertson said.

"The Minister claims he'll manage the 500 jobs cuts as much as possible through attrition. Well, attrition rates are very low at the moment, and there is no evidence to suggest 500 health workers will conveniently leave the positions that they want when the job market is tight."

Grant Robertson says Labour is fully supportive of maximising efficiencies and streamlining bureaucracy but everything must be done to ensure that those who face being cut can be absorbed into the new health framework.

"Tony Ryall may label them backroom bureaucrats but many still have vital skills and knowledge of the health sector, and retaining that talent if possible would simply be common sense," Grant Robertson said.

"It is hard to know how many jobs will actually be lost. Cabinet papers indicate that Mr Ryall has very little idea of exactly how many jobs will go. He wants to look tough, but is doing so at the expense of health workers are already feeling vulnerable. They don't need the Minister using bluster to justify setting up a brand new bureaucratic entity.

"Labour will continue to watch developments around the health sector restructuring very closely. With such a large number of job losses announced today there are many families who will be impacted and they deserve some recognition from the Minister.