Labor defies criticism to add 3,400 public service roles

Katy Gallagher has defended an increase in public service roles in Australia’s 2025 federal budget as necessary even as Peter Dutton calls for major cuts. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The Albanese government will increase the federal public service by 3,400 roles over the next year, adding to the more than 40,000 roles created since Labor came to power.

The budget papers also include another hit to the bottom lines of consultancy and labour hire firms, with Labor committing to slash a further $719m in external resourcing by 2028-29, totalling $4.7bn since 2022.