Although the Federal Budget has seen an overall increase in jobs in the Australian Public Service, a temporary rise in the public sector efficiency dividend from 1.25 per cent to 1.5 per cent from July for the next two years is expected to result in some job losses across the Service. 

 

The increased dividend will strip $1.1 billion from the public service over 2011-12 and 2012-13.

 

National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, Nadine Flood, said the efficiency dividend was a blunt instrument which could only be met through cuts to jobs and services.

 

“The Government’s budget figures claim that overall public sector employment will grow by 574 people next financial year, but this does not factor in the impact of the increased efficiency dividend. You can’t cut $1.1 billion without losing jobs or services,”  Ms Flood said.

 

The increased efficiency dividend follows a pre-budget announcement that a predicted  net increase in the Defence APS workforce of 1,655 from 2010-11 to 2013-14 will be reduced by 1000 jobs through work sharing and other efficiencies.

 

However, the budget papers do not  suggest that the Government is aiming to reduce public service staff levels overall. Figures show that the Australian Public Service has grown in number from 250,566 in 2008-09 to 261,891 in 2010-11. Projected figures for 2011-12 indicate that the Government expects the Service to further increase by 1104 people to 262,995 staff.

 

Additional staffing is expected for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (310 positions), the Immigration Department (285 positions), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (200 positions) and the new Vocational Education Regulator (155 positions).

 

Agencies that are identified for staff cuts include:

  • the Department of Human Services (138 positions), 
  • Centrelink (1016 positions) 
  • Medicare (102 position).
  • the Australian Institute of Marine Science (18 positions),
  • Geoscience Australia (12 positions),
  • the Bureau of Meteorology (11 positions)
  • the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (5 positions).
  • the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations  (270 positions), 
  • the Attorney-General's Department (39 positions)
  • the Australian Crime Commission (23 positions)
  • Customs (90 positions)
  • the Australian Federal Police (17 positions)
  • the Institute of Criminology (17 positions)
  • the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (22 positions)
  • the Family Court of Australia (25 positions)
  • the Native Title Tribunal (27 positions)
  • the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (25 positions)
  • The Department of Climate Change and Energy (49 positions)