Oliver Hartwich: NZ Initiative Executive Director on David Seymour's call to limit the number of government ministers

Oliver Hartwich: NZ Initiative Executive Director on David Seymour's call to limit the number of government ministers

The Mike Hosking Breakfast · 2025-05-01

David Seymour's calling for fat to be cut from multiple areas of government. 

The Act Party leader wants a limit on the number of ministers – with no ministers outside of Cabinet, and no associate ministers other than in Finance. 

He wants 30 total government agencies, down from 41. 

Executive Director of business think tank New Zealand Initiative, Oliver Hartwich told Mike Hosking the current model doesn't make sense. 

He says there's a Minister of Housing but also a Minister of Building and Construction, as if they have nothing to do with each other. 

Hartwich also says the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is a prime example of a bloated cabinet. 

He says there are 16 ministers in charge of MBIE, and Ireland has 15 in its entire cabinet. 

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