The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has warned that Peter Dutton's latest plan to cut public services will have a devastating and uneven impact across the public sector.
Peter Dutton today confirmed he has not listened to community concerns and is still pursuing public sector cuts 3.5 times worse than those Tony Abbott took to the 2013 election.*
A freeze on filling public service roles for 5 years is likely to exceed the 41,000 already on the chopping block.
The union says this reckless approach will hollow out essential services and leave millions of Australians worse off.
The latest iteration of Peter Dutton's public service cuts would also have a disproportionate impact on frontline services where there tend to be higher staff turnover rates. Based on current agency attrition rates.**
- Services Australia would lose 12,500 jobs or 42% of staff over 5 years.
- The Department of Veterans Affairs would lose almost 1,000 jobs or 27% of staff over 5 years.
- The NDIA would lose 2,070 jobs, or 21% of the agency, over 5 years.
In a bid to avoid accountability for its attacks on public services, the Coalition is resorting to chaotic and ill-conceived policies that will cause harm.
Quotes attributable to Melissa Donnelly, CPSU National Secretary:
"Peter Dutton hasn't backed down on his cuts to public services, he's doubled down.
"This is a recipe for delays, disasters, and a decline in critical services.
"Cutting public services by attrition is not a strategy - it's a ticking time bomb. These are uncontrolled, uneven cuts that will hurt the public sector and have a disproportionate impact on frontline services.
"Peter Dutton is out there in the media telling Australians he has listened, and he is sorry. But behind closed doors, he and his colleagues are ramping up their attack on public services.
"In fact, cutting public services by attrition and implementing a hiring freeze could lead to public sector cuts that are significantly higher than 41,000.
"It is hard to imagine he could have come up with an even worse policy than cutting 41,000 jobs out of public services, but he's gone and done it.
Monday 7 April 2025
