There are public servants and there are "other" public servants. Some are necessary and I'm sure that Dutton knows which ones they are. He also knows that there are plenty that aren't necessary. There is a lot of empire building going on. There is a lot of "reclassification" of public service jobs happening, as they add staff they often then get reclassified into a higher pay scale. They also can retire at 55 and live on a very generous superannuation benefit. Same job but a different title can mean a big pay increase. In council, a reclassification from "engineers assistant" to "assistant engineer" means a big pay rise and a chance to get an "engineers assistant" to do the job for you. I've heard an "engineers assistant" boast about getting an engineers assistant to do his work when he became an "assistant engineer".
Yes minister was not just a fictional TV program. It was relative to the public service. Too many spin doctors attached to too many politicians. Dutton will know the good from the bad, the workers and the drones. He'll know the ones to target. He won't turn them into Labor voters because I'll bet, they already are.
