Te Puni Kokiri plans to lift salaries in bid to keep staff

Te Puni Kokiri plans to pay more attractive salaries in an attempt to curb high staff turnover rates.

The Government department last year struggled with staff retention, facing a 26 per cent turnover last July, well above the 14 per cent state-sector average and attracting Maori Affairs select committee criticism.

Its just-released statement of intent says turnover had dropped to 12.5 per cent last December and was estimated to be 15 per cent this month.

To make TPK a desirable career option, it plans to spend the next year focused on staff development and retention.

"Improvements in this area include the implementation of a remuneration strategy which includes salary ranges in the public service's top quartile" and a number of other initiatives, the report says.

TPK yesterday refused to answer questions about current pay rates and intended pay rates, saying such information was subject to the Official Information Act process.

It gave the same response when asked for the monthly turnover rates so far this year.

The State Services Commission said the average salary was $58,800 and the median was $43,700.

The agency has also been under select committee fire for alleged difficulties in explaining its new Maori Potential approach.

The approach is designed to shift the agency's role from that of "policing" other Government departments and focusing on reducing disparities, to a more positive focus on Maori potential.

The statement of intent says TPK is building an "evidence base" about Maori experiences of success in order to balance the tenor of current resources and material.