Taxpayers’ Union applauds Chris Hipkins’ slimmed Cabinet

The Taxpayers’ Union says that Chris Hipkins is leading the way, and for the first time in a generation is delivering a slimmed down, more efficient, Cabinet.

Taxpayers' Union Executive Director, Jordan Williams, says:

“Any expert in governance and meeting dynamics will tell you that any more than about 15 is detrimental to diversity of expressed views debate and good decision making.

“Back in the old days, under Prime Ministers Seddon and Ward, Cabinet was made up of eight to nine.  Coates had 11, then Savage 14. Holland had 16, Holyoake (by his second administration) increased it to 17, Prime Ministers Marshall and Kirk had 18 Cabinet Ministers which continued under Prime Minister Muldoon until reaching 20 by the end of that Government.

“Of course in those days there were far more Parliamentary under-secretaries who are technically not in the Executive Branch, don’t attend Cabinet, and don’t get as many of the perks and staff as the Ministers outside of Cabinet that ‘hang on’ in the modern era.

“The Lange Ministry stuck with the 20, as have subsequent Prime Ministers - although the number of Ministers outside of Cabinet has vastly increased.

“Not since Prime Minister Kirk have we had such a streamlined Ministry, and Chris Hipkins deserves credit for not replacing Ministers Wood and Allan and being the first Prime Minister to arrest the growth.

“Christopher Luxon should seize the opportunity. If Hipkins can operate government with 18 Cabinet Ministers, Luxon should commit to doing the same. That would not only mean savings for taxpayers, but likely to lead to better collective decision making.”