Qld politics: LNP govt must hire 17,000 public servants to replace consultants

Campbell Newman was notorious for slashing the public service, now his successor as LNP premier has been told to do the opposite. VOTE IN OUR POLL

David Crisafulli (right) with then premier Campbell Newman, who culled the public service.

• Editor’s view: Buck stops here

The state government will need to hire 17,000 public servants to cover the $6.8bn in savings it will achieve by axing consultants and contractors, a new report reveals.

Treasurer David Janetzki has pledged to save near $7bn over four years by establishing Queensland Government Consulting in-house to reduce the public service’s reliance on external consultancies.

The LNP had pledged to save the first $757m before the June 24 budget, however this is not expected to occur, with QGC yet to be established.

Queensland Council of Unions’ Public Sector Report said while Mr Janetzki’s commitment was significant and commendable, it could not be done without major investment.

IN TODAY’S EDITORIAL WE ARGUE THE STATE BUDGET MUST BE ALL ABOUT DEBT REPAIR. READ IT NOW AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION

It compared Queensland’s pledge with the federal government’s achievement of $4.7bn in savings since June 2022, including $718.8m this financial year, by reducing consultants, contractors and labour hire.

However, to deliver those savings the Commonwealth has created more than 11,800 new public service roles to replace work previously undertaken by consultants and contractors.

“If the same Australian government ratio of additional public service capacity to savings were applied for $6.8bn in savings that would involve more than 17,000 new public service roles,” the QCU report said.

It also warned the government could struggle to attract quality workers if it does not match lucrative paid parental leave schemes offered by the private sector.

Mr Janetzki did not comment on the claim 17,000 workers would be needed to fulfil the election promise, but commended the union for supporting the government.

“We agree that slowing out-of-control growth in contractors and consultants by building capacity in the public service is an important election commitment that Queenslanders voted for,” he said.

Shadow treasurer Shannon Fentiman said Mr Janetzki’s Queensland Government Consulting had 20 days to cut $757m in contractors and consultants but was yet to be set up.

“His election costings said QGC would make these savings, and any suggestion otherwise is misleading Queenslanders,” she said.

“The Treasurer’s failed budget savings will mean he has to find $7bn somewhere else in the budget.”

Queensland had 308,033 public servants as of the March quarter, representing a 7.3 per cent bureaucrat-to-population ratio. It is above the national average of 7.1 per cent but low compared to other decentralised jurisdictions including Tasmania (9.5 per cent) and the NT (12.4 per cent).

Health and education workers make up 72 per cent of full-time employees and, when combined with police, make up almost eight in 10 roles.

Excluding government-owned corporations, 47 per cent of Queensland’s public sector workers earn between $50,000 and $99,999.

“Ongoing investment in wages and conditions in the Queensland public sector will be critical to delivering the uplifts in productivity that will be needed,” the QCU report said.

Originally published as Qld politics: LNP govt must hire 17,000 public servants to replace consultants