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The state government has defended the culling of 200 extra public servants than it originally promised, blaming the former government for not reining in savings earlier.
Today’s state budget has removed the uncertainty surrounding the exact head count of public service jobs facing the chop.
The state budget will see a reduction in 700 public servants, but with no forced redundancies.
The state service will be reduced through natural attrition, voluntary redundancies and department transfers.
The Liberals committed to downsizing the public service by 500 full time positions heading into the election.
Treasurer Peter Gutwein said a risk report released in April revealed 1000 full time equivalent jobs were embedded in the forward estimates, a figure he blames on Labor and the Greens.
Unions feared more than 1500 positions would go.
''The budget contains a further reduction of just 200 positions across the forward estimates,'' Mr Gutwein said.
''These are Labor and the Greens’ job losses,'' he said.
Mr Gutwein said the job cuts would be up to agencies.
''This budget saves 800 of the extra 1000 jobs Labor and the Greens have been saying would go,'' he said.
He said the risk report proved the former government had not done what they promised to.
Mr Gutwein said agencies had already started vacancy control and agency transfers.
‘’Agencies will have a number of measures available to them,'' he said.