As revealed inThe Age last week,the push to pare back Victoria’s public service before the May 23 state budget comes as the government struggles to offset a multibillion-dollar financial hit linked torising interest rates,with the state’s net debt topping $100 billion for the first time at the end of 2022.
Senior government sources,unable to speak publicly about budget deliberations,confirmed departments had been asked to hand in proposals for job cuts,although they are not locked in.
The deep cuts are reminiscent of the 2012 decisionby the former Baillieu government to slash the number of public servants – initially by 3600,but then by 4200 – in a bid to shore up the budget bottom line.
At the time,the Coalition government insisted the cuts would not affect front-line staff such as police,teachers and child protection workers – a message that was ridiculed by Labor in opposition.
In June 2012,Tim Pallas,who was then Labor’s industrial relations spokesman and is now the state treasurer,said:“Carving this many jobs from departments will have a massive impact on the delivery of key services.”
The new departmental proposals are expected to be summarised in a single document before being sent to the Andrews government’s budget razor gang – the expenditure review committee – for consideration before the budget.