Andrews government confirms it’s taking a knife to the public service

The Andrews government has confirmed it is taking the knife to the public service, but has refused to say which departments are being targeted.

The Andrews government has confirmed it is taking the knife to the public service. Picture: Jason Edwards

Victorian public servants are bracing for mass job cuts across key government departments.

The Andrews government has confirmed it is taking the knife to the public service, but has refused to say which departments are being targeted or how many jobs loss are expected.

Senior public servants have told the Sunday Herald Sun significant departmental restructures could put hundreds of jobs at risk.

The Department of Justice and Community Safety, the Department of Government Services and the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action are all understood to be undergoing major restructures.

Up to 20 per cent of all executives are expected to be cut from the Department of Health.

Ahead of May’s state budget all government departments were ordered to cut 10 per cent of ongoing staff, putting more than 5000 jobs at risk.

The move foreshadowed the biggest public service jobs cull in more than a decade – when former premier Ted Baillieu pushed to slash 3600 jobs.

The government hoped to wipe billions of dollars from its ballooning wages bill which increased from $24.2bn in the July 2014 to June 2015 financial year to $38.5bn in 2021-22.

Victorian Public Service Commission data shows the number of public servants increased from 34,000 to 55,000 (by 54 per cent) between 2015 and 2021.

Shadow Minister for Employment, Bridget Vallence, said hardworking Victorians continued to be punished for the government’s poor economic management.

Ms Vallence said Victorians continued to be punished for the government’s poor economic management. Picture: Hamish Blair

“Under Labor, Victoria is broke and public sector jobs that support critical frontline health, education, infrastructure and community safety services will be cut at the time the community can least afford it,” she said.

“Concerningly, despite these cuts, Victorians will continue to pay an increasing public sector wages bill – which can only mean higher taxes and more pressure on household budgets.”

A government spokesman said officials were working with unions in accordance with industrial obligations.

“We know these transitions can be challenging which is why consultations are continuing,” he said.

“The public service grew during the pandemic as Victoria responded to a one-in-100-year event and now it will balance back towards pre-pandemic levels.

“We have a record of improving and delivering more services including expansions in health, prevention of family violence and mental health, and we will continue to make that our priority”

The spokesman said May’s budget funded initiatives that were expected to increase frontline public sector roles by more than 2,000.