Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Urquhart for the question, again. Our government is building a stronger Public Service to better serve all Australians. We abolished the Liberal and National Party's arbitrary and damaging staffing cap that diminished the capability and capacity of the Public Service and led to an excessive and reflective reliance on wasteful external labour. We are reinvesting in the NDIA, in Services Australia and in the Department of Veterans' Affairs to improve service delivery for Australians. We've appointed a dedicated secretary for public sector reform to deliver on our agenda and have commenced an audit of employment to improve job security and save taxpayers' money. We have also restored the ability of workers and their representatives to bargain in good faith and be consulted. What about that? How radical is that! I want to take this opportunity to thank the 160,000 public servants who have worked so hard to support the government to deliver on our commitments to the Australian people.