Wellington, March 10 NZPA - More than 80 jobs at the Ministry of Environment are to be disestablished but many people will be retained in other roles.

The Environment Ministry is undergoing a restructuring started by new chief executive Paul Reynolds shortly after he started July.

Separate to that 18 jobs were being affected by Cabinet's decision yesterday to scrap the Bioethics Council and cancel some programmes: to achieve a carbon neutral public service; the Govt 3 programme aimed at getting departments to sign up to sustainable policies; and no new recycling in public places.

About 300 ministry staff were told about the restructuring at a meeting in Wellington this morning, with staff from Auckland and Christchurch flown in.

Prime Minister John Key said the programme cuts were partly due to a 30 percent reduction in baseline funding imposed by the previous government.

Dr Reynolds hoped to use those staff elsewhere in the ministry.

"At the same time those doors are closing the window are opening because we responding to the government's request to increase effort in other areas it has priority in."

He did not have a figure in mind for the wider restructure but PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott said 86 positions were being disestablished.

The department was restructuring its management and they were largely the positions affected.

Dr Reynolds said the ministry needed a "more standard structure".

Policy would be bought today into a "policy shop" rather than be spread across the organisation.

"I needed to do something to get the ministry better organised so that it could more effectively carried out its role."

The department was also getting its "strategy act together" and that would be bought under the corporate part of the organisation along with internal and document processes.

He did not have a figure in mind of how many of the 86 would not be able to be redeployed.

Dr Reynolds said staff had handled today's news staff intelligently and were already organising feedback.

"I am in awe of my staff," he said, "there is an incredibly constructive approach being taken by them."

Ms Pilott said the union would work to minimise job losses.

"But we are pleased to see that the chief executive says he's committed to retaining staff and we will be working with the ministry to achieve that goal."

Ms Pilott said the restructuring appeared to be aimed at improving the quality of service, not just cost cutting.

"But we are aware that there will be further pressure on the ministry as it needs to save $1.8 million."

Ministry staff workloads were increasing because of changes to the Resource Management Act and the establishment of a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), she said.

"It's essential the government ensures the ministry maintains the capacity to do vital work on protecting the country's environment."

Ms Pilott said the union was disappointed that important work was being axed and scaled back.

"It's ironic that the government has axed the Bioethics Council on the same day President Obama has lifted restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research in the United States."

She said the government was also out of step stopping work on having a sustainable, carbon-free public service and cutting back the promotion of recycling and sustainability in homes.

Dr Reynolds said it was up to the Government to decide priorities.

"When we are in difficult times you've got to make difficult decisions. No one enjoys looking at people and telling them the things they are doing are going to stop."

The Government has previously announced it would expand the Environmental Risk Management Authority (Erma) into an EPA with added responsibilities including regulation functions of the Resource Management Act and national policy statements and standards.

The EPA would also process major projects consents meaning the ministry would be more advisory.

Dr Reynolds said work was being done to set the EPA up within the ministry but be prepared to separate it out seamlessly.

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