Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese government's time in office has been all about reckless spending, with Canberra's already bloated bureaucracy growing by an additional 36,000 public servants under Labor's watch. Labor has now hired almost 50 new bureaucrats each and every day. Economist Shane Oliver told the Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living:

… the RBA's job would be a lot easier if they didn't have the surge in government spending that has been occurring over the last few years—

government spending rates of 27.3 per cent of GDP in the June quarter.

Services Australia is a good case study of the reckless spending. There is $1.8 billion now committed for an extra 7,500 public servants, but here are some facts on Services Australia's plummeting performance—something you probably won't hear in the member for Maribyrnong's valedictory speech. When the coalition was in government, it took, on average, 35 days to process a claim for an age pension. From 1 January this year to 1 May this year, the average time was 84 days. The member for Maribyrnong gives the excuse that customer demand for services is increasing. Not true! Demand was 126 million in 2021-22; it has dropped to 92 million in the most recent year. More government spending, poorer outcomes—that is a record of the member for Maribyrnong.