Parliamentary Services is struggling to fill essential positions and support necessary functions due to fixed multi-year budget constraints, despite repeated requests for increased funding and acknowledged staffing needs.

In response to the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) recommendations in the Annual Review for the Financial Year 2022-2023 report, Parliamentary Services stated that financial constraints prevented the filling of all positions.

The PAC recommended that Parliamentary Services implement a comprehensive recruitment plan to address long-standing vacancies, including specific strategies for promptly and efficiently filling these positions, and establish a timeline.

The Committee also recommended that regular updates on recruitment efforts should be provided to ensure accountability and transparency.

In response, the Parliamentary Services said: “We have an organisation chart approved by the Public Service Commissioner on August 24, 2021, portraying all the staff positions required to provide the services needed by Parliament – not all positions on the chart are filled due to financial constraints.”

It explains while it’s all very well to have a wish list that includes filling of all vacant positions, the reality is that some positions simply can’t be filled due to financial constraints.

The Parliamentary Services added that some prioritising of recruitment choices is necessary.

According to the report, the introduction of multi-year budget strategy, where budget levels are set for a medium term of three years, has impacted the annual budget allocation for Parliamentary Services.

Its personnel budget, which accounts for salaries and wages, has been set at $658,343 per year throughout the whole term (three years) without any scope for flexibility.

In the report, Clerk of Parliament Tangata Vainerere stated: “We have made very strong representations to the Ministry of Finance Budget Support Group for increases in the personnel appropriation at every annual budget negotiation session since that new budgeting system was introduced but to no avail.”

During the debate on the $68 million supplementary budget, which was passed in Parliament last month, Matavera Member of Parliament Vaitoti Tupa welcomed the initial allocation of $1,002,659 to Parliamentary Services in June 2024 but lamented the lack of additional funds in the supplementary budget.

The Opposition MP called on the Minister for Finance, Prime Minister Mark Brown, to consider areas that need support for Parliamentary Services in the next financial year.

Tupa stated that some staff were facing challenges and required additional support, potentially including the creation of new positions within Parliament.

“This is particularly important to strengthen areas such as the Select Committees. For instance, within the Public Accounts Committee, we are encountering difficulties with report writing and other tasks, as there is currently only one staff member handling this workload,” Tupa said.

“If we could secure an additional staff member or even a contract worker, I believe that the Public Accounts Committee, along with other Select Committees, would greatly benefit from this.”