What we do

New Zealand’s high level of satisfaction with public services comes from the hard-working people who deliver them. 

Wherever you live, you’ve used their services.  Their jobs help New Zealand society, culture, economy and environment.

Click here to read one member’s story, and come back to learn more about the real New Zealanders who deliver services in communities like yours.

The next time a politician promises big, unaffordable tax cuts without cutting services, ask how can someone find billions a dollars without affecting the work we do and you value:

• Health scientists to find cures and run tests.
• Department of Conservation rangers to protect our environment, and boost tourism.
• Superannuation workers to ensure entitlements are delivered.
• Probation officers to monitor offenders.
• Getting KiwiSaver running, so hundreds of thousands could join.
• Prison guards to keep us safe.
• Public health workers to promote fitness, and prevent disease.
• Customs and border agents to secure New Zealand.
• Mental health workers to get help to people in need
• Radio New Zealand and TVNZ to keep New Zealanders informed.
• Museum, library and archive workers.
• Nurses to care for us when we’re ill.
• Food safety inspectors to prevent accidents.
• Finding jobs for people on benefits to improve our economy.
• Social workers to prevent crime, and help communities in trouble.
• Environmental scientists to fight climate change.
• Working with people with disabilities.
• Resolving treaty claims to take New Zealand forward.
• Educating special needs children.
• Civilian workers supporting our military.
• Promoting New Zealand tourism overseas.
• Providing support for victims of crime.
• And many more, from Statistics New Zealand to the Department of Justice; the Ministry of Fisheries to building trade links abroad.

With a $50 a week tax cut costing New Zealand $5 billion a year, jobs and services in every community would be at risk. 

Paying for $5 billion in tax cuts with jobs means about 167 million fewer hours of work.

That’s more than 80,000 jobs.

Only 42,000 people work in the entire public service.

That’s what we mean by unaffordable tax cuts, promised without explaining where and how the money comes from—like services and jobs in your community.

Authorised for the PSA by Brenda Pilott, 30 Prospect Tce., Johnsonville, Wellington