Palaszczuk government to hire 8000 new public servants in $2 billion spend

The Palaszczuk government will hire more than 8000 new public servants over the next year, with wages to cost Queensland taxpayers an extra $2 billion.

Queensland taxpayers will fork out an extra $2bn in wages for the state’s public servants as the Palaszczuk government gears up to hire another 8000 workers.

In the wake of the government essentially axing its public service hiring freeze, employee expenses are set to surge by 7.7 per cent in 2022-23 – reaching a massive $30.07bn.

It will mean two in every $5 spent by the state government next financial year will be on public service wages – with the total wages bill tipped to reach $33.6bn by 2025-26.

The government is expected to hire another 8,175 workers in the coming year – bringing the total size of the state’s public service to more than 250,000 full time equivalent (FTE) positions.

The Palaszczuk government will hire 8000 new public servants over the next year. Picture: Brad Fleet

The planned hiring spree is about double the number of positions that were added to the public service this financial year.

About 6,200 of these additional roles will be added to Queensland Health amid ongoing pressures in the health system, while about 1,100 extra workers will be hired by the Education Department.

There will also be a big boost in Queensland Police Service employee numbers, with its workforce set to grow from 16,923 to 17,548 FTEs over the coming year.

Ahead of several key public sector bargaining agreements ending this year, the government says it wants to bargain in “good faith” to establish wage increases for the next period.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said the government had made provisions in the budget for a range of wages outcomes as they entered those negotiations.

Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick. Picture: Dan Peled

“We’re realistic and we understand the pressures on all workers, whether they be in the private sector or whether they be in the public sector,” he said.

“This is a budget crafted for the times we live in and that includes spiralling inflation. We want to make sure our public sector workers get a fair deal.”

He suggested the government would not agree to inflation-matching pay agreements for public service workers.

“However, as I’ve said earlier – we don’t want them to go backwards,” Mr Dick said.

Since the 2014-15 financial year – when the Palaszczuk government came to power – the size of the public service has grown by 20.4 per cent – or an extra 40,600 FTE positions.

The government lifted its public service hiring freeze in May, but the measure will still apply to executive positions.

Originally published as Palaszczuk government to hire 8000 new public servants in $2 billion spend