governments first backflip

Maybe more?

Government to add, not cut, staffers

August 18, 2008
INCREASING the number of government staffers will enable the Rudd Government to deliver its election commitments, a public service union says.

Despite Labor's election promise to cut ministerial staff by 30 per cent, the Government is now preparing to expand staff numbers to meet a growing workload, according to a report in Fairfax papers today.

Labor also promised to remove departmental liaison officers who act as de facto electorate support staff for MPs.

The report says ministers and staff have often struggled to keep up with the workload of office and the Government is now debating how to justify an expansion of the ministry.

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) says public servants are burning out and increasing numbers will enable the Government to deliver its reform agenda.

"It appears that the Federal Government is starting to recognise that more staff are needed to get its massive job done,'' CPSU national secretary Stephen Jones said.

"If government is serious about solving some of the country's biggest challenges, it needs to make sure it does not burn out its best talent.

"It needs to ensure that it has an adequately-funded and properly-resourced public service to get the job done.''

Mr Jones, who is due to appear before a parliamentary review of Labor's ``efficiency dividend'' cuts on Wednesday, said it was time the Government realised arbitrary job cuts was not the answer.

"We ... encourage the Federal Government to abandon these arbitrary cuts to public services and ensure there are enough staff to deliver the services that Australians expect.''