LNP Leader David Crisafulli has pledged to deliver a stronger and reinvigorated public service for Queensland.
Delivering his official Budget Reply today, the LNP Opposition Leader announced he would end Government dependence on expensive external policy advisory consultants and strengthen the internal policy capabilities of the public service.
To deliver the change, he promised to repair the toxic culture of fear in the public service under the Palaszczuk Labor Government, which had been exposed in the Coaldrake Report.
This would be achieved with a focus on integrity, openness and transparency to empower Queensland’s public service.
To deliver these changes, Mr Crisafulli outlined a three-step plan, including:
1. Improve procurement processes through a Treasury Department review.
2. Adopt a “public service first” approach by redirecting money away from the big four financial services firms, back into the public service.
3. Require consultants to demonstrate how they will build capacity in the public service before being awarded work.
Mr Crisafulli said Queensland needed a world-class public service to pull Queensland out of the deepening chaos and crisis of the Palaszczuk Labor Government.
“This is a line in the sand, an LNP Government will end the reliance on expensive consultants and empower Queensland’s public service to deliver the frontline services our State needs,” Mr Crisafulli said.
“The days of endless buckets of taxpayers’ money being handed over to the big four consulting firms to complete the work of the public service will end.
“An LNP Government will value, empower and resource Queensland’s public service to once again become the powerhouse our state needs.
“The Coaldrake Review was scathing of the Palaszczuk Government’s obsession with outsourcing work to the private sector and how this has eroded our public service.
“Building capacity in the Public Service and empowering it to manage projects will drive down project overruns and reduce cost-of-living pressures on Queenslanders.
“Our public service has been hamstrung by the chaos and crisis of the Palaszczuk Government for too long and this must change.
“We must empower Queensland’s public service with the policy capability and resources to tackle the serious challenges our State faces.
“The public service cannot deliver fearless advice amidst the culture of fear the Palaszczuk Government has created but the chaos and crisis will end under an LNP Government.
“We will deliver Australia’s best public service and restore world-class services for Queenslanders no matter where they live.
“As the Coaldrake Review exposed the choice at the next election will be clear – Labor who have outsourced taxpayers’ money at will to the big four and ruled the public service with fear, or an LNP Government who will value the public service to provide fearless advice.
“With an empowered public service an LNP Government will restore world-class services for Queenslanders no matter where they live.”
