The New Zealand Initiative is praising Government plans to slash almost 9,000 public service roles by mid-2029.

It also intends to reduce Government departments and immediately start cutting agency budgets. 

The free-market think tank says it's a great step, but ministerial portfolios should also be cut. 

Board chair Roger Partridge says there's too much duplication. 

"Some policy areas, like housing, report to as many as 10 different portfolio-holding ministers - and some departments, like MBIE, report to over 20 ministers."

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