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LNP’s million dollar public service spending spree

Millions will be spent on hiring executives before the government’s hiring cap begins, with the Treasurer’s own department advertising three senior positions just a day after the budget.

Treasurer David Janetzki. Picture: Liam Kidston
Treasurer David Janetzki. Picture: Liam Kidston

Millions of dollars will be spent on appointing new public service executives before the government’s hiring cap kicks in next week.

Job advertisements for three senior positions in the Treasury department were posted on Seek on Wednesday June 25 -the day after Treasurer David Janetzki announced a public service hiring freeze in his first Budget hand down.

Together, they attract an annual salary of $1m salary, while the cap is expected to save just $5m each year.

Opposition Leader Steven Miles grilled Mr Janetzki on the timing of the job postings on Thursday, which included the creation of a new role within the Treasury Department.

Advertisements were posted for an Associate Under Treasurer position with a salary of up to $407,067, a Deputy Under Treasurer for Finance and Investment and a Deputy Under Treasurer of Energy and GOCs -both attracting a salary of up to $300,000.

Mr Janetzki did not respond to the roles posted on Seek but said the hiring cap would help the government empower the public service.

“It is good to know that the leader of the opposition is busy on Seek,” he said.

“He’s (Mr Miles) got me because we want to make sure that we’re empowering the public service, that we’re getting the most from them, and we’re going to be investing into them with thousands of new (frontline) staff.

“We want more for them, because we need a high performing public service.”

The government this week announced it would cap all executive non-frontline service roles to 842, keeping job numbers at current levels until 2028.

A government spokesman said not all of the positions within the cap were currently filled.

“Queensland Treasury is recruiting within its current cap and this is in accordance with its approved SES profile which is determined by the Public Sector Commission,” they said.

The cap is projected to save taxpayers about $18.4m over four years.

Originally published as LNP’s million dollar public service spending spree

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/queensland/lnps-million-dollar-public-service-spending-spree/news-story/8ce54b22635c174ebe4c3078bce4a150