Labor warns Liberals plan to cut 500 public service jobs in Geelong

The Liberal Party have denied Labor’s claims they will cute more than 100 frontline public service jobs in Geelong.

Federal Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher said the Liberal Party are planning to cut frontline public servant. Picture: Dan Peled / NewsWire

The Liberals have labelled claims they would cut hundreds of federal public service jobs in Geelong if they got into power as “another Labor lie”.

Federal Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher, Deputy Prime Minister and Corio MP Richard Marles and Member for Corangamite Libby Coker are expected to front the media in Geelong on Monday to say 500 public servants would lose their jobs if the Liberal Party won the election next month.

They say this would include 100 frontline Services Australia staff.

“The Liberals want to see hundreds of jobs cut from Geelong,” Mr Marles said.

“We are a proud regional town which is home to the National Disability Insurance Agency, to Services Australia and to locals who want to access quick and reliable government services and all of that is at risk under Peter Dutton.”

Deputy prime minister Richard Marles said the cuts would include 100 frontline Geelong workers. Picture: Alison Wynd

According to Labor, there are about 2000 federal public servants in Geelong – the biggest regional employer of public servants in Australia.

This includes about 1000 people at the NDIA, 500 at Services Australia and 500 at the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has announced his party would reduce the public service by 41,000 across Australia.

He said earlier this month the policy could save about $7bn a year.

But a party spokesman labelled claims of job cuts in Geelong as “simply another Labor lie”.

“There are no plans to cut frontline services,” he said.

Peter Dutton said earlier this month cutting 41,000 public service jobs could save $7b. Picture: Richard Dobson / NewsWire

“We will reduce our public service sensibly, by 41,000 over five years, through natural attrition.

“There will be no forced redundancies.

“We believe natural attrition will allow us to achieve the required reduction to ensure our public service is sustainable.”

Ms Gallagher refused to believe the plan would exclude frontline positions.

“You can’t believe Peter Dutton when he says front line positions won’t be sacked,” she said.

“You can’t sack 41,000 workers and not remove front line positions.”

The spokesman failed to say how many jobs would be slashed in the region as part of the Coalition’s plan to downsize the public service, or where there would be adverse effects for residents.

Labor derived at the 500 figure by calculating the percentage of public service job losses across Australia.

“Five-hundred job cuts in a place like Geelong will have significant impacts on the local

community and the local economy,” Ms Gallagher said.

According to government data, Geelong is the single largest regional employer of public servants in Australia, with 2,583 employed as of 2024.

This includes over 1000 National Disability Insurance Agency employees, and over 1000 between Services Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Originally published as Labor warns Liberals plan to cut 500 public service jobs in Geelong