pn972.Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup: The Big “consultocrats” debate needs to carry on

 The public's view on the use of consultants is likely to play an important part in the 1News poll to be announced tonight. -- ACW

A parasitic blight on our democracy? Or a useful and necessary aid to our government departments? Those are two perspectives on the usefulness of the Wellington consultant class that contract to government agencies.   The role of business management consultants took centre stage last week when National’s Christopher Luxon called time on the over-use of “consultocrats” in his state of the nation speech. Luxon pledged to cut the use of contractors by 25 per cent off the $1.7bn that was spent last year by government departments and agencies such as Te Whatu Ora and Waka Kotahi.