Victoria’s plan to remove more than 1,000 public-service positions has become an election issue, after Guardian Australia reported a union leader said Labor could not receive union support without a no-cuts pledge.
Jiselle Hanna, secretary of the Victorian branch of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), told the Guardian that the union could not support Ben Carroll’s government if it would not commit to stopping further public-service cuts. The outlet reported the branch was expected to announce its election position Wednesday, Nov. 4.
Treasurer Jaclyn Symes told Parliament on Dec. 4, 2025, that the government’s response to an independent review would reduce Victorian Public Service headcount by more than 1,000 positions, excluding frontline jobs. The government says its measures will save more than A$4 billion, including a planned reduction of 332 executive and similar roles forecast to save A$359 million.
The completed review sought to move the non-frontline share of public-sector employment toward its pre-pandemic proportion and simplify management structures. The government says its response excludes frontline workers such as nurses, teachers and police. It also plans to cut consultancy and labour-hire contractor expenditure by 10%, forecasting A$113 million in savings, while saying this spending is already below pre-pandemic levels.
The Guardian also reported that CPSU analysis of annual reports covering 10 departments put consultant spending at A$1.2 billion from the 2017-18 financial year onward. Its report said the Department of Treasury and Finance accounted for about A$222 million since 2017, while the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action had the highest annual amount, about A$86 million in 2024-25.
In May 2026, the CPSU said almost 100 restructures had taken place in the preceding year, arguing the changes put pressure on workers and could affect essential-service delivery. The union called on the government to rule out further public-sector cuts. Victoria’s state election is scheduled for Nov. 28, 2026.
