Rise in CYF staff on more than $120,000 irks National

The number of Child, Youth and Family executives on more than $120,000 has tripled over the past year, National MP Anne Tolley says.

CYF now had the equivalent of nearly 30 fulltime executives earning more than $120,000 - up from 10 people on that pay the previous two years. Overall there was an 8 per cent increase in staff and a $17 million increase in annual salary costs to $136 million.

"The mind just boggles at the fact that Labour has allowed those at the top of a 'dysfunctional' department to be rewarded for ongoing failure," Mrs Tolley said. "The organisation is becoming bureaucratised while the real need is in the front-line where social workers have been dealing with a huge increase in notifications."

General manager Jo Mika-Thomas said the increase was due to the difficulty getting strong leaders. She said social workers who earned between $32,000 and $60,000 would get an 11 per cent increase over the next two years.

CYF has struggled to retain its top people. Canadian Paula Tyler quit 18 months into a three-year contract.

She had taken over from Jackie Pivac, who resigned in 2003.

Ms Pivac's resignation followed reports that showed CYF was underfunded and there were "systemic failures" and a large variability in the quality of service delivery.

The Government then stepped in with an additional $127 million. The department is being merged into the Social Development Ministry.

- NZPA