ACT Senate candidate Jacob Vadakkedathu suggested he didn’t back the policy to cut 41,000 public service roles in the national capital, using his position to try to convince Canberrans to vote for him Photograph: Jacob Vadakkedathu via FacebookView image in fullscreenACT Senate candidate Jacob Vadakkedathu suggested he didn’t back the policy to cut 41,000 public service roles in the national capital, using his position to try to convince Canberrans to vote for him Photograph: Jacob Vadakkedathu via FacebookAustralian election 2025ACT Liberals’ lead Senate candidate says Dutton’s plan to slash public service ‘unrealistic’Jacob Vadakkedathu criticises Coalition plan to cut 41,000 positions in the capital, saying ‘that’s why we need a Liberal senator from Canberra’
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Josh ButlerThu 1 May 2025 05.27 BSTShareThe lead Senate candidate for the Canberra Liberals has hammered Peter Dutton’s policy to slash 41,000 positions from the Australian public service (APS) in the ACT, calling the Coalition’s plan “unrealistic” and “not practical”.Jacob Vadakkedathu, who had previously said the APS cuts would be spread over the whole country – not just focused on the nation’s capital, as Dutton has recently clarified – told ABC radio that he would fight to change the policy if he were elected.“41,000 just from Canberra is unrealistic, and it’s not practical, and I will strongly argue for that for Canberra,” Vadakkedathu said.
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Dutton has committed to reversing 41,000 new positions in the APS, which already have been filled – or, in some cases, are projected to be filled – by Labor. The Coalition has been coy on the details of where the positions would be cut, what type of roles, and how they could ensure that essential public services are not compromised.Albanese condemns Dutton’s pledge for mass public service cuts ‘only in Canberra’Read moreDutton has committed to no “frontline” roles being affected, nor any roles related to national security, defence or intelligence. On Wednesday he guaranteed no roles would be affected at Asio, Asis, or the Australian Signals Directorate.Dutton has dodged questions this week on whether the Coalition would spend more on consultants as part of their plan to reduce the APS. Labor this week announced a plan to save $6.4bn by slashing the government’s use of consultants and external labour, which was slammed as a “lazy option” that could “risk some reduction in service levels” by former senior public servants and experts.Last week Dutton said all 41,000 would come from Canberra, despite only approximately 68,000 APS roles existing in the ACT, and most of the public service working outside the nation’s capital. Public service unions and groups have said it would be nearly impossible to cut so many roles without cutting roles Dutton has said are off-limits.Labor has said cutting so many roles would affect wait times for pensions and other important support payments.The ACT is currently represented by independent David Pocock and Labor minister Katy Gallagher in the Senate. Vadakkedathu is seeking to win back a Senate seat formerly held by the Liberals, who were ousted at the 2022 election by Pocock. Last week, just hours before Dutton confirmed all the cuts would come from Canberra, Vadakkedathu said in a media interview that only a third of the cuts would come from the ACT.On Thursday, the ACT Liberal candidate suggested he didn’t back the policy, using his position to try to convince Canberrans to vote for him and arguing that only a Coalition senator could fight the Coalition policy.“That’s why we need a Liberal senator from Canberra, representing Canberrans in the party room and in the government, in the incoming Coalition government. So I can strongly argue for Canberra,” he said.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025Free daily newsletterOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it mattersEnter your email address Sign upPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionDutton has already backed down from the Coalition’s plan to alter work-from-home arrangements for public servants and force them to return to the office.The Guardian view on Australia’s federal election: progressives must vote strategicallyRead moreAfter a major backlash in key seats, following a loud public campaign from Labor suggesting the Coalition’s position could be rolled out further from public servants to the private sector, Dutton scrapped the policy early in the election campaign. He rejected Labor’s claims, saying the policy was only ever in relation to the APS.“We’re listening to what people have to say. We’ve made a mistake in relation to the policy. We apologise for that,” Dutton told Channel Nine.But Anthony Albanese rubbished the Coalition announcement, claiming “nobody believes Peter Dutton has changed his mind on work from home”.“He will rip up flexible work and slash the services you rely on the minute he gets the chance,” the prime minister said.Explore more on these topicsAustralian election 2025Australian Capital Territory (ACT)CanberraLiberal partyCoalitionAustralian politicsnewsShareReuse this content
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