Farrer MP Sussan Ley has cited her work at the Albury tax office in stressing that planned Coalition public service cuts are aimed at government positions in Canberra.
The federal deputy Liberal Party leader was responding to union claims that the federal Opposition's plan to cut 41,000 government workers would have an impact on the Border's public service.
"Peter Dutton's plans would see a return to unacceptable claims processing times for aged pension, Medicare, Veterans Affairs and prescriptions claims," Community and Public Sector Union national secretary Melissa Donnelly said.
"These cuts will not only take jobs out of the Albury-Wodonga region but will impact the delivery of vital services to the local community like the aged pension, Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, and the NDIA."
The Border Mail asked Ms Ley if there would be job cuts at Centrelink branches, Albury's tax office or with the defence force in the region.
The director of technical training at the tax office from 1995 to 2001 declined to provide specific answers to those questions.
Instead Ms Ley said the Oppositon's policy was aimed at non-frontline roles in the public service.
"As a former public servant at the ATO, I'll always stand up for a productive and efficient public service, because that means better outcomes for our country," Ms Ley said.
"What we are concerned about is the growth in Canberra roles, which are not frontline, and have been added since Labor came to government.
"Tens of thousands of extra bureaucrats have been added in just three years, costing taxpayers an enormous extra $7 billion a year, and yet the quality of service and wait times have not improved.
"We want a better frontline service experience for Australians including of course right here in Albury and we can do that by cutting waste in Canberra."
The tax offices' branch secretary for the Australian Services Union Jeff Lapidos questioned how a target of 41,000 could be achieved without impact beyond the ACT.
"I'm saying it's impossible for the Coalition, if there is a Coalition government, to get all the reductions they're looking for from staff based in Canberra," Mr Lapidos said.
He noted that when Liberal prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott were elected there had been cuts to tax office personnel.
As of January 31, the Albury tax office had 602 permanent staff and 224 casuals.
Across Australia, the permanent number at that time was 19,746 and 1522 casuals.
The Albury site is one of seven regional tax offices across Australia with the others in Burnie, Geelong, Gosford, Newcastle, Townsville and Wollongong.
A further 14 are spread across Canberra and all state capitals.
