Qld public service: Education, health hit as 1000 jobs go

The State Government has shed hundreds of staff from frontline health and education roles, with the latest public service figures revealing a reduction of more than 1000 positions.

THE Palaszczuk Government has shed hundreds of staff from frontline roles in health and education.

The latest public service employment figures, released yesterday, show a reduction of more than 1000 positions.

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The total number of full-time equivalent employees on the state payroll fell 991 between September and December to 225,478.

The Government, which has been criticised for inflating the ranks of public servants, said the latest figures showed it was continuing to “honour its commitment to … growing frontline services in line with population growth”.

But the new data shows the axe has fallen on frontline positions.

The number of teachers around the state was slashed by 570, while nurse numbers were cut by 426, and doctors by 89.

Meanwhile, there was a net increase of 137 jobs in Queensland Health business units, including pathology, pharmacy, electronic medical records and digital healthcare programs.

Ambulance staff increased by 17 and child safety staff by 132.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the “slight decrease’’ in staff reflected a seasonal decline in teacher numbers at the end of the school year and the use of more casual and temporary hospital employees as full-time staff took leave.

Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says the decline in more than 500 clinical roles has contributed to Labor’s health crisis. Picture: Zak Simmonds

However, Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington said: “Labor has used the holiday season to try to hide significant cuts to frontline clinical staff, but these reductions are more than seasonal.

“A reduction in over 500 clinical roles has clearly contributed to Labor’s ongoing health crisis.

“It is disturbing to see a surge in back-of-office staff at the same time that there are 559 fewer doctors, nurses and other frontline health professionals.”

Queensland Nurses’ and Midwives’ Union president Beth Mohle said there was a seasonal element to the figures, which rose in the new year with a big intake of graduates.

“Having said that, we are monitoring very closely the staffing levels on a hospital-by-hospital basis, given the unprecedented demand around the state.

“Sometimes health services indulge in very false economy, with a reliance on casual and agency staff, which actually costs more.”

Meanwhile, the Premier said the Government had already exceeded its promise to place 100 Defence Force veterans in public sector roles within a year.

“In just nine months, we’ve already found jobs for 166 veterans and are always looking for more,” she said.