The Government should be upfront about the cost and purpose of the public sector pay adjustment which is currently being negotiated between public sector organisations and unions, National's Public Service spokesperson Simeon Brown says.

“Under Labour, we have seen an increase of 14,000 more bureaucrats in Government departments costing taxpayers almost $2 billion more every year in salaries compared to 2017.

"On top of this, the Government last year paid a record $1.2 billion to consultants and contractors.

“Last year, the Government said restraint was required, and public servants would have pay increases only in line with their contracts. Now the Government seems to have tossed that out and is throwing money around, with pay increases for all, regardless of productivity or any other measure.

“The Government needs to be upfront about the purpose of this pay adjustment, who it applies to, and how much it will cost.

“With 62,000 people employed in the core public service, a $6,000 salary increase could cost as much as $372 million.

“The average salary in the core public service is already $90,800, well above the average salary for New Zealanders.

“This only speaks to Labour’s plan to bloat the Wellington bureaucracy rather than to focus on the outcomes New Zealanders pay for and expect from our public services."