New Zealand mulls cut in defense roles

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – The New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) is planning to cut hundreds of civilian roles as part of a major restructure, a local trade union said, RNZ News reported on Thursday.

New Zealand’s Public Service Association said that the defense force staff on Thursday were informed of plans to change the civilian workforce, resulting in a net reduction of 374 roles.

This comes after 145 civilian workers were made redundant last year, and the NZDF warned that further cuts were likely.

The NZDF is proposing to abolish 667 civilian posts, 287 of which are currently vacant, and to create 293 new posts, bringing the total net reduction to 374 posts.

An NZDF spokesman said the decision to restructure was not taken lightly.

"This is due to the NZDF having to continue to prioritize its outputs and find the savings required to stay within its budget appropriation while maintaining combat readiness and delivering on core military activities," the spokesman said.

The spokesman also said that if the planned cuts are finalized, the total reduction of NZDF's civilian staff would amount to 80 employees, noting that most of the people affected by the cuts “would be placed into suitable alternative positions in the new structure."

NZDF stated that it is currently engaging with staff and unions regarding the proposals and that their input will be thoroughly reviewed before any final decisions are made.