This week’s new budget measures mean more work for public servants. 

The federal budget announcement handed down on Tuesday night detailed what the government sees as its strategic challenges.

It also included announcements in the fields of community health, natural disaster response, energy, workforce and wellbeing, and digital government service. 

“We must invest more in the defence of our nation. We have put in place a 10-year defence capability plan worth more than $270 billion supporting more than 100,000 jobs,” the treasurer said.

The Federal Government said it wants to reduce the cost of administering government services as an overall share of total government expenses. 

Finance minister Simon Birmingham said this was made possible by long-term efforts to “drive improved efficiency and productivity in the public service”.

“This continued improvement in structural efficiency takes account of all departmental costs, including APS staff, contractors, and other supplier costs,” he said. 

The budget papers include plans to grow the APS footprint in regional areas, setting up new regional hubs to accommodate multi-agency personnel. 

The government says strengthening APS connection with Australia’s regions would lead to better and more effective service delivery, policy and program design. 

“In 2022-23, the government is investing $15.2 million over seven years to establish APS Hubs in regional Australia that enable the APS to remain an employer of choice and provide staff with more diverse career opportunities,” Senator Birmingham said. 

“Accommodating staff in multi-agency workspaces in regional APS Hubs will locate staff closer to the communities they serve while breaking down silos to broaden their perspectives.”

Government watchdogs have been handed a deregulation agenda that includes a program to reform fees for various registry services, as well as efforts to simplify registry compliance obligations.

The government also announced measures to improve the currency and accuracy of registry information, while promoting transparency and counter-party trust in commercial activities.  

“These changes will save Australians and their businesses $64.9 million in fees over three years from 2023-24,” the budget papers state.

“The government will take action to reduce administrative overheads and streamline businesses’ engagement with the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Border Force. This will support business growth in Australia’s fuel and alcoholic beverage manufacturing sector.”

The public sector has also been handed the task of rolling out the maximum allocation of $150 million from the Emergency Response Fund for post-disaster activities supporting flood-affected communities over the next two years.

This comes alongside more investment for disaster response, management, and recovery.

Minister for emergency management and national recovery and resilience Bridget McKenzie announced the Commonwealth would commit $2 billion in conjunction with the QLD and NSW state governments in recovery support for businesses, primary producers and individuals affected by ongoing flooding. 

“Beyond the pandemic, natural disasters pose an enormous challenge to Australia’s resilience. In recent years, disasters such as droughts, bushfires and floods have had a devastating impact on our nation, with some parts of the community responding to consecutive disasters,” the budget papers said. 

“In 2021-22, the commonwealth, state and territory disaster recovery funding arrangements have been activated in response to 38 natural disaster events. Most recently, the arrangements have been activated by the February to March 2022 floods that caused significant loss in Queensland and New South Wales.”

The APS has also been tasked with working alongside local communities and industry sectors for post bushfire recovery.

“To date, over $3 billion has been made available for critical recovery work that directly assists impacted individuals, communities and businesses, including support for more than 2,800 individual projects,” the papers said.

This week’s budget laid out a $120 billion infrastructure pipeline over the next 10 years, including $14.5 billion for an inland rail connecting Melbourne and Brisbane, and $400 million connecting the Botany Rail duplication in Sydney.

“A total of $7.1 billion is being provided over 11 years from 2022-23 for the government’s energy security and regional development plan. The investment focuses on strengthening infrastructure and supply chains in the Northern Territory, north and central Queensland, Pilbara region in Western Australia and Hunter region in New South Wales,” the budget papers said. 

“Over the next 10 years, $880 million of funding for the Roads of Strategic Importance initiative will upgrade 11 key freight corridors across Australia. This helps Australian exporters who trade in global markets become more internationally competitive, while increasing opportunities for regional employment and business growth.”