REVEALED: Health NZ’s $3.5 Million spent on Non-Jobs – and that's just the beginning

The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union can reveal through an Official Information Act request that Health NZ have spent up to $3,475,054 on the annual salaries of 13.7 full time roles dedicated to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and Environmental causes.

With titles such as “Diversity and Inclusion Lead”, “Clinical Sustainability Liaison” and “LGBQTIA+ Lead”, the 13.7 roles include 4 DEI and 9.7 Sustainability positions that are explicitly non-health focused. In addition, Health NZ has a number of roles that include culture in their job description but also include "health needs," which haven't been released

Taxpayers’ Union Investigation Coordinator Rhys Hurley, said:

“The government cannot afford public service jobs that fail to serve taxpayers. It’s basic maths. Taxpayers expect their money to fund the important services, not the ideological ones.”

"This goes far beyond environmental or diversity concerns. New Zealand apparently can't afford to pay for more nurses and doctors but can afford these roles at the expense of patients."

“Minister Willis must make it clear that taxpayers can not continue to fund DEI and similar ideological positions if she expects to fulfil her promise of growing the economy by cutting spending.”