Public service jobs Qld: Staff cuts, hiring freeze as state government looks to save $3b
High-paid senior public servants won’t be replaced and a public service hiring freeze will be put in place as part of measures introduced by the Queensland Government in a bid to save $3 billion from its COVID-hit Budget.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE Queensland Government plans to save $3 billion from its COVID-hit Budget through a public service hiring freeze and reducing its most highly-paid, senior workforce.
But savings will also come from slashing government advertising, cutting glossy publications and switching off social media accounts.
Plan to free 1500 public servants from city commute
LNP backflip on public servant wage freeze stance
Health workers anxious wait over last pay packet for financial year
What not to do: The report every public servant needs to read
Treasurer Cameron Dick made the savings announcements as he produced $1 notes from his first pay packet in 1981, telling Queenslanders he knew the value of every dollar.
“With so many Queenslanders facing economic hardship … we have to make every dollar count,” he said.
“Every taxpayer dollar is precious.”
In the midst of the greatest recession since the Great Depression, he said saving jobs and supporting jobs had to be the most important goal.
“There is simply no option to cut our way out of this,” he said.
“The best way to fix the Budget is to fix the economy.”
Following a public service pay rise freeze, public service positions at July 1, 2020 will now be maintained for 12 months.
Internal recruitment will only be used to fill non-frontline roles for 12 months.
Secondment of frontline staff to non-frontline roles will be limited and internal recruitment will only be allowed for non-frontline roles.
There will be a “natural reduction” of Senior Executive Service roles – the highest paid public servants in the bureaucracy.
He said there were too many government social media accounts with limited public audiences and they would not continue. It’s understood that would allow people to be redeployed.
The use of external consultants and contractors will be reduced, and ended where possible.
And the use of glossy publications will be reduced, with the writing of annual reports stripped back to the legislative requirements, meaning “more numbers, fewer pictures”, he said.
Mr Dick said while it wasn’t his first choice to borrow more, austerity wasn’t an option as it would lead to fewer jobs and less revenue.
“Austerity means shooting our economy in the foot,” he said.
“The pathway to paying down debt is to grow our economy … (and) job creation is our number one priority.”
The Treasurer revealed a Future Fund – which was announced by his predecessor Jackie Trad as a way to pay down debt – would be introduced to the parliament this week.
In response, Deputy Opposition Leader Tim Mander said the Treasurer had no numbers and no details.
“The Treasurer talks about increasing debt but has no details of what that debt level will be,” he said.
“He’s talked about capping public service numbers but doesn’t know the public service numbers.”
Mr Mander said the LNP had guaranteed there would be no new taxes during its first term, if elected in October.
“The challenge that we have in the future going into this economic crisis that’s been created or exaggerated by the coronavirus is that Queensland is behind the eight-ball from the start with $92 billion worth of debt,” he said.
“We’ve said all along that we will stabilise the debt so whatever the debt ends up being, and who knows what that figure is, we’ll have to wait and see what the Treasurer provides at some time in the future, the LNP guarantees that we will stabilise that debt and it will not be increased.”
He said the Future Fund was “all about smoke and mirrors”.
“It’s the debt recovery plan you have when you don’t have a debt recovery plan,” he said.
“There’s so many questions to be answered about this Future Fund.”