More than 30 roles on chopping block at Maritime NZ - PSA says

The water safety regulator says jobs cuts are necessary in order to "remain solvent".

Maritime NZ director Kirstie Hewlett said a "revenue shortfall" had triggered a change proposal that staff were informed of earlier this week.

She did not confirm the number of roles proposed to be disestablished, but the Public Service Association (PSA) understood more than 30 were on the chopping block.

Hewlett said Maritime NZ had recently undertaken a levy review to address a revenue shortfall and while Cabinet had decided to cover some inflation for the organisation, the shortfall remained.

The Associate Transport Minister James Meager said he was confident Cabinet's decision had struck the right balance - taking into account a range of factors, including cost increases driven by the Middle East conflict.

He said after considering multiple options, an inflation-adjusted levy over three years was decided on.

Hewlett said the decision meant cuts to expenditure were necessary, "including personnel, to address funding pressures and remain solvent".

"In deciding where to make cuts, we have been careful not to cut personnel in key front facing roles," she said.

Hewlett said the organisation would have to change the way it worked, should the proposal go ahead in its current form.

"However, we will continue to prioritise harm prevention within the areas we are responsible for, including recreational craft."

She said some roles, as well as a smaller number of new roles, had been identified for potential disestablishment and some vacancies had also been held.

Hewlett said net job losses would be confirmed following consultation and her focus was on supporting staff.

PSA national secretary Duane Leo said the union represented 185 members at the water safety regulator and would be opposing the proposal.

He understood roles could be axed within harm prevention, investigations, legal, policy and finance teams and said losing such roles could turn Maritime NZ into "the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff".

"The proposal to significantly reduce the investigations and legal teams would make it much harder to investigate serious incidents and prosecute offenders," he said.

Leo said the changes could put lives at risk.

Meager said the Maritime Levy rate would increase by 6.35 percent from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2028 and 2.5 percent from 1 July 2028 to 30 June 2030.

"Maritime NZ's current reserves and levy shortfall were taken into account, alongside a range of factors and views across the maritime sector," he said.

"This included consideration of the cumulative cost increases the industry is already facing, particularly to fuel and diesel due to the impacts of the Middle East conflict.

"This decision was considered the best option to fairly take into account all stakeholder views, and I'm confident it strikes the right balance."

Meager acknowledged Maritime NZ would need to reduce its expenditure which could come at the cost of some roles, however he said he'd been assured that this would be carefully done.

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