The union representing public sector workers has accused the state government of misrepresenting the extent of job cuts to suit its political purposes.
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On Monday, the government released two financial reports that showed 945 jobs had been shed from the public service since May last year, less than the 1098 reduction in positions reported in March.
Community and Public Sector Union general secretary Tom Lynch said the union's data indicated the actual figure of positions scrapped was closer to 1500.
``We work with members every day, I know that over the last three months a lot of people have lost their jobs,'' Mr Lynch said.
``The numbers in these documents are managed and manipulated to tell a story.''
He said he suspected the March report's higher number was used to show the government was achieving its budget savings and now the lower number fitted in with the new ``mantra'' of easing the pain.
The budget savings strategy June update showed the Education Department's numbers went up by 276. During the same period, it was reported 451 full-time positions were not renewed in the department.
Education Department deputy secretary Andrew Finch said the best measure of staffing change was to compare this June's figure with June the previous year, which showed there were 41 fewer people employed in the department.
``Education numbers have increased from the March report and this reflects the seasonal variation across the school year, which is affected by casual, temporary and fixed-term employment on a school term basis,'' Mr Finch said.
Opposition health spokesman Jeremy Rockliff took aim at the government for getting rid of 581 people in health compared to just three from the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
``Health represents about one third of the total state budget, but has borne more than 60 per cent of the job cuts,'' Mr Rockliff said.
A government spokesman said that ministerial and parliamentary support had been reduced by 27 full-time positions, or 16 per cent since January last year, compared with a 6 per cent reduction in the Department of Health and Human Services.