Public service to grow by 12,000 in budget focused on service delivery

The boost of 12,042 places builds on a significant investment in the last budget, and comes as the Albanese government looks to drive home its election promise to rebuild the Australian Public Service.

The budget papers also show that growth in the APS was even more substantial than estimated in the 2023-24 financial year, with an increase of about 10,000 revised to be 15,248.

The overall ASL for 2024-25 is estimated to be 209,150, an increase of 12,042 positions on the revised figure for 2023-24 - 197,108.

The budget uses the Average Staffing Level (ASL) measure, which shows the average number of bureaucrats receiving salary or wages over the financial year. This differs from overall headcount figures.

The Albanese government will continue to crack down on outsourced labour, with about 2500 roles previously done by contractors, consultants or labour hire, to be brought in-house in the 2024-25 financial year.

The social services portfolio has reported the most significant change, establishing 1822 APS roles.

Ahead of the budget, Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher also announced the government expected a further $1 billion in savings in coming years, from a program of cuts to outsourced labour across the service.

Services Australia will receive nearly $3 billion over five years, with a significant portion targeted at jobs and capability as the government moves to reduce backlogs on claims, and get call wait times down.

A $1.8 billion funding lifeline will go towards frontline staff, up until the 2025-26 financial year, "to help stabilise" backlogs and improve service standards and emergency response capability .

The money is likely to extend funding for 3000 additional jobs announced by Government Services Minister Bill Shorten in November 2023, while the agency's ASL is also set to grow by 1717 places in the 2024-25 year.

This follows a drop of nearly 1800 places in the May 2023 budget.

The agency is also set to receive a further $1 billion over coming years to sustain the myGov platform, and to enhance security and safety at Services Australia centres.

Home Affairs' staffing levels will stay about the same, but the department will receive a $100 million boost to its baseline funding for the 2024-25 financial year.

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Foreshadowing the announcement ahead of the budget, Senator Gallagher said the agency had experienced "historic" funding shortfalls.

The new money will go towards immigration compliance activities, sustainment of critical systems and Australian Border Force Functions.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs will also receive a funding top up of $194.4 million to 2027-28, focused on reducing the time taken to respond to claims and increased demand for services.

However, its staffing will drop by about 78 places in the next financial year.

The Australian Antarctic Division, a section of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, will receive additional funding after highly publicised reductions to its budget last year.

The division, which is responsible for Australia's Antarctic scientific research, will receive $290.5 million over five years, across several programs.