Jacinda Ardern has announced she, along with Government ministers and public service chief executives, will take a 20 per cent pay cut to identify with the difficulties facing New Zealanders amid the Covid-19 crisis.
The Prime Minister said the pay cut would last for the next six months.
Dr Ashley Bloomfield, who as Director-General of Health has been the face of the Government's response to the epidemic alongside Ms Ardern, confirmed at their daily press conference that he would be one of those taking the pay cut.
Following the PM's announcement, National leader Simon Bridges tweeted he would chip in and take a 20 per cent drop in salary too.
The Green Party also said it would opt-in to the voluntary 20 per cent pay reduction.
“We thought it was important that Green Ministers demonstrated that we are in this together, and there was unanimous support for us to opt-in to this reduction," Green Party co-leader James Shaw said.
Ms Ardern said: "As we acknowledge New Zealanders who are reliant on wage subsidies, taking pay cuts and losing their jobs as a result of Covid-19's global pandemic, we feel acutely the struggle that many New Zealanders are facing and so too, do the people that I work with on a daily basis.
"It is about leadership," she said, adding that the move would not "shift the Government's overall fiscal position".
Wendy Petrie gives a short rundown of the current situation across the country. (Source: Other)
"If there was ever a time to close the gap between different positions, it's now," the Prime Minister said.
"This is where we can take action, which is why we have."
She said the move stands alongside "many actions taken by many people".
Ms Ardern acknowledged the many sectors working to help New Zealanders at this time.
“Of course many people in our public sector are our frontline essential workers - nurses, police, healthcare professionals. We are not suggesting pay cuts here, nor would New Zealanders find that appropriate.
“Rather, I am responsible for the executive branch, myself and ministers, this is where we can take action, and this is why we have,” Ms Ardern said.
"We have made a decision about ourselves.
"A lot of people are taking a huge hit right now, I do not want the people who feel that to be the people on the frontline - our lower, middle income earners. It should be about leadership and that means the people at the top". Ms Arden said.
ACT’s David Seymour had been pushing for a cut to all MPs’ pay, and was planning to propose a law to drop their pay by 20 per cent for the period of the Government's wage subsidy, with a possible extension.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said he will take a voluntary 20 per cent reduction to his mayoral salary for the next six months.
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