Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has come out swinging against media reports which claim that the Federal public service grew last year.

“The 2012-13 Budget papers showed a reduction in the General Government Sector for the first time in many years – 3300 fewer than the average staffing level reported for Budget 2011,” Mr Dreyfus said.

“We don’t believe in the wholesale slashing of public sector jobs like we’ve seen in Queensland, which rob the community of vital services and which Tony Abbott would do if elected.”

The claims come after all Government agencies are being required to evaluate all SES roles by the end of 2014 against standards set out in the 2010 Beale Review.