Public servant jobs pushing up employment figures

A THIRD of all new jobs created in Queensland during the June quarter were funded by taxpayers after the Palaszczuk Government continued its public service hiring spree.

A THIRD of all new jobs created in Queensland during the June quarter were funded by taxpayers after the Palaszczuk Government continued its public service hiring spree.

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The latest public service workforce report has revealed another 2318 workers were added to the Government’s ranks over the three months to June, taking the total headcount to a staggering 267,895 employees.

Over the same period 7600 jobs were created in Queensland according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics which means about a third of the new positions were publicly funded.

The figures demonstrate how the Government’s hiring extravaganza is masking a lacklustre jobs market with public funds being used to prop up Queensland’s jobless rate.

The contentious workforce data was released with 72 annual reports and board appointments dominated by Labor mates over grand final weekend, prompting Opposition accusations that the Government was attempting hide bad news.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Lachie Millard

Opposition deputy leader Tim Mander said Labor was hiring more people but delivering poorer services.

“Under Annastacia Palaszczuk the public service wages bill has increased by more than $5 billion but services have deteriorated,” he said.

“Labor should be focused on outcomes and results not the number of public servants.”

A spokeswoman for Premier Annastasia Palaszczuk said the increase was

less than 1 per cent.

“The Palaszczuk Government will never apologise for restoring

frontline services with more doctors, nurses, paramedics, child safety

workers and teachers,” she said.

Since elected in 2015, the Government has grown the public service by 27,500 which is around the same size as the entire population of Maryborough.

The June quarter report shows 1197 extra full-time and 1248 part-time public service jobs while the number of casuals declined by 127.

Education and health accounted for the vast majority of additional jobs while there were declines in TAFE, transport and justice.

Over 2017-18, frontline and frontline support jobs in the public service grew at a faster rate than back office gigs, in line with the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment.

However, the growth in full-time equivalent public service jobs over the financial year was 3.6 per cent, around twice the rate of predicted population growth.

This breached the Government’s fiscal principle to maintain FTE growth in line with population.

The 8522 extra full-time, part-time and casual public service jobs that were created in 2017-18 came as Queensland’s unemployment rate began and ended the year at 6.2 per cent.