Government funding cuts are forcing the Salvation Army to propose axing a range of roles including social workers, navigators and other frontline positions which deal with highly complex cases across the North Island

Twenty-three workers are impacted by the cuts across the North Island with 18 jobs proposed to be disestablished. Hours for five other roles are proposed to be cut with four part-time roles created. This follows Oranga Tamariki discontinuing contracts and only providing minimal funding for a small number of other contracts.

The cuts would have been much worse had the Salvation Army not agreed to divert funding from other areas to support this service as much as possible.

"This is a government that puts saving money ahead of saving people, that peddles the lie that its cuts won’t impact the frontline. It has again been exposed," said Melissa Woolley, Assistant National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.

"The people doing it tough and needing a helping hand from a social worker are the ones that will pay the price for this decision. These are all frontline, hands-on roles focused on helping vulnerable people and supporting less experienced social workers in dealing with people facing challenges. You don’t get more frontline than this.

"It’s ironic that the Prime Minister visited Westgate Salvation Army recently and talked to people at the frontline helping families struggling in the cost-of-living crisis, while pushing savage cost cutting policies that impact some of those very families.

"These cuts are part of the Government’s ongoing slash and burn approach to public and community services in town, cities and rural areas across the country while maintaining the fiction that only office jobs in Wellington are being axed."

The change proposal covers workers in Auckland (Glenfield, Manukau, Royal Oak and Waitakere), Tauranga, Hamilton, Hutt City and Palmerston North.

"We know social workers in other urban and rural areas also face losing their critical jobs.

"Wherever you live, the Government is axing services that support people and strengthen communities. It would rather give hand-outs to landlords and big tobacco than provide a helping hand to those who really need it," said Melissa Woolley.

A variety of social service contracts have been cut by Oranga Tamariki following government spending cuts. This includes $14 million shaved from the Family Start programme, which will see the loss of 107 dedicated social workers and up to another 63 workers. This will mean 1600 babies under the age of two not being seen by Family Start workers.

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