 "Australia's Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton speaks during a press conference at the 2025 federal election campaign, in Brisbane, Australia. Source: Reuters")
US billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seemingly left an impression on Australian opposition leader Peter Dutton. So, his coalition recently made election promises to implement Doge-like policies in Australia, including reducing ‘wasteful spending’, sacking 41,000 federal workers and banning the work-from-home facility for government employees.
On Monday (April 7), Dutton said he made a “mistake” and his coalition was withdrawing these poll promises. Dutton said he realised his promises had become unpopular among the masses.
“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.
The opposition coalition had been promising to reduce the number of public service jobs added by the ruling Labor since the 2022 election. Dutton often called these new roles “wasteful spending” and repeatedly described them as “Canberra-based” — even though about 75 per cent of them were actually outside Canberra.
However, the opposition kept sending mixed signals about how many jobs would be cut. Dutton also avoided giving a clear answer on whether the cuts would happen through layoffs or just by not replacing staff who leave.
Labor’s campaign against Dutton’s proposed policies
The Labor, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, meanwhile maintained that any such policy would disrupt public service and could see welfare recipients and veterans forced to wait weeks or months for payments to be processed.
Meanwhile, a month back, opposition leader and shadow public service minister, Jane Hume, also vowed to scale back work-from-home arrangements for public servants.
He said it would be “an expectation of a Dutton Liberal government that all members of the APS work from the office five days a week”.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHowever, on Monday, the coalition said it won’t change the current policy and there would be no mandated minimum number of days in the office.
The Coalition also said it will “sensibly reduce” the Australian Public Service (APS) by 41,000 positions over the next five years. The cuts would come through a hiring freeze and natural attrition — meaning they won’t replace staff who leave. They’ve also promised that there will be no forced redundancies.
“We have listened, and understand that flexible work, including working from home, is part of getting the best out of any workforce,” Hume said on Monday.
But PM Albanese warned that nobody should believe Dutton’s U-turn, saying he would implement the changes anyway.
“He will rip up flexible work and slash the services you rely on the minute he gets the chance,” the prime minister said.