A Robin Hood -style policy, redistributing the big salaries of public service chief executives to lower paid workers, would be more effective than the government-ordered pay freeze, according to a leading business academic.
The directive, which essentially means those in the public sector earning more than $60,000 will only get a pay rise in exceptional circumstances for the next three years, has infuriated some workers.
It has prompted crisis meetings between the government and unions, and a commitment to review the directive next year.
The government denies it is a freeze , saying people can still move between pay bands and it is about equity, raising the wages of workers making $50,000 or less – that is 25 percent of public servants.
Some public sector leadership salaries:
Matt Whineray, CEO NZ Super Fund: $929,000 (after COVID-19 reduction)
Scott Pickering, CEO ACC: $826,000
Ailsa Claire, CEO ADHB: $677,000
John Ryan, Auditor General: $670,000
Peter Hughes, Public Service Commissioner: $630,000
Rob Everett, CEO Financial Services Authority (just resigned): $623,000
Cherly de la Rey, VC University of Canterbury: $594,000
Tim Fowler, CEO Tertiary Education Commission: $560,000
Judge Peter Boshier, Chief Ombudsman: $456,000
Sid Miller, CEO Earthquake Commission: $437,000
A lower public sector staff salary:
Jane Doe, administrator Dept of Corrections: $45,000
Helen Roberts is an Associate Professor in Otago University Department of Accountancy and Finance. She put those remuneration packages into perspective. I just looked at the data that s out on the public sector websites, you can go and look yourself. I looked at the top five paid individuals in the state sector who were full term.