The Australian Public Service (APS) can ready itself to welcome over 1,200 new workmates in the 2019-20 financial year as this week’s Budget predicts the average staffing level for the APS to rise from its current 165,491 members to 166,762.
According to Budget papers, the big winners in the workplace stakes will be the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) which will need to make room for 688 new workmates; Home Affairs 425, Australian Federal Police (AFP) 312; Department of Defence 262; and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFAT) 197.
At the other end of the scale the Department of Health will say goodbye to 259 positions; The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) 217; Department of Human Services (DHS) 209; and the Department of Veterans Affairs 108.
The extra personnel needed at the ATO reflects the expansion of the Office’s Tax Avoidance Taskforce in the Budget and the $1 billion allocation to it to raise $3.6 billion in the next four years from Australia’s large and multinational companies as well as high wealth individuals.
Home Affairs is to recruit its extra staff to implement budget measures; the AFP numbers will grow due to including locally engaged overseas staff; and the Department of Defence’s due to difficulties recruiting expert staff in 2018-19 which are expected to ease in the new financial year.
DFAT’s surge in personnel is also due to various Budget measures and expected recruitment activities in 2019-20.
The Department of Health is losing positions due to Machinery of Government changes and a transfer of ASL for the grants hub while DAWR’s losses are due to programs terminating.
DHS has reduced its numbers due to departmental efficiencies, a change in workforce composition and the transfer of ASL for shared services arrangements and the Department of Veterans Affairs because it lost ASL to shared services arrangements, internal staffing controls and Budget measures.
The full Budget report on APS staff numbers for 2019-20 can be accessed in Budget Paper No. 4.
