IRD sheds more than 9500 jobs since 2008
Well, that might not be quite right, but if the rest of this article is to be believed, IRD has paid out $31mill to 539 staff made redundant since 2008, an average of $57,000 each, and has also paid out a whopping $125 million on contractors and consultants. All the while offering a very poor service on the 0800 number. 260,000 callers hung up after waiting too long, in one year.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post...ll-on-services
Maybe the number of staff dropped has been 950, since they have/had 6000 staff. You'd need a few staff, they sometimes get 25000 calls in a day.
About 15 years ago, IRD in Hamilton set up a huge waiting room so people could provide their walk-in query at a main desk, where it was relayed to staff in each section as appropriate, using screens. The tax client would be collected from the waiting room by a tax expert, and ushered to a private small room to discuss the issue. There were about 20 rooms, and other desks. Within 2-3 years this great system was replaced with a smaller version (change of govt?), then you had to phone in before visiting, and now they don't (or can't) even answer the phone. The smaller waiting room now has about 4 chairs in it. You can't even get tax forms there.