2025-04-07
The ACT Greens condemn Dutton’s plan to fire 9,700 ACT public servants and call on the ACT Government to ensure full service delivery and job protections for Canberrans, should the Liberals win government in the upcoming election.
Australian Greens analysis of Australian Public Service Commission employment data shows that the Liberal Party’s plan to fire 41,000 public servants that have been hired under the current Labor government would mean cuts to 9,700 public service jobs in the ACT.
Departmental staff in key agencies would be impacted, including over 600 staff in Social Services, over 500 in Health and Aged Care and over 250 staff for the National Disability Insurance Agency. The ACT Greens declare that the loss of these key departmental roles would put key frontline service delivery that Canberrans rely on at risk.
“The Greens know that public service is the best way to deliver the quality infrastructure and reputable services that Australians need,” said Candidate for Canberra, Isabel Mudford.
“The public service is ultimately loyal and accountable to the public unlike for-profit consultancies which are most interested in making money.”
“I condemn Dutton’s proposal to shrink the public service which would see the jobs of 9,700 Canberrans on the chopping block and increased spending on for-profit private consultancies.
“The Greens have committed to strengthening the public service by reducing spending on consultants by 15% every year for five years.
“The Greens will protect Canberran jobs and actually bring back capacity in the public service by keeping Dutton out and holding Labor to account in a minority government,” said Isabel Mudford, Greens Candidate for Canberra.
Quotes attributable to Andrew Braddock, ACT Greens MLA for Yerrabi:
“Let’s be clear, 9,700 newly unemployed Canberrans would drive a dramatic increase in inequality and have serious lasting consequences for everyone living in our city,” said Andrew Braddock, ACT Greens MLA for Yerrabi.
“But don’t forget federal Labor’s efficiency dividend on the Australian Public Service also hurts Canberrans and the ACT economy.”
“That’s why the ACT Greens call on the local government to investigate bringing forward city-defining projects which will safeguard Canberrans from these job losses by opening up new job opportunities in our own public service.”
“For example, by dramatically increasing the number of public homes under construction or by picking up the pace on delivering light rail, the ACT Government could be the stop-gap in the federal Government’s plans to send our city broke while delivering the services Canberrans are crying out for.”