While the back flip on work from home has been getting all the attention, there are other problems with the Coalition’s plan to cut the public service by 41,000 workers.

The Coalition have confirmed that the cuts will be achieved through natural attrition. But this conflicts with its claims that there will be no cuts to front line services. If a future Dutton government implements a hiring freeze, some of those that will leave the public service will be front line services. If the freeze doesn’t apply to front line services and they’re able to replace staff, then it will take far longer for a Coalition government to reach its 41,000 target.

The hiring freeze also flies in the face of the original justification for the cuts. The Coalition has been claiming that these cuts are about efficiency. But cuts aimed at improving efficiency would involve carefully analyzing where to cut public service fat. A blanket hiring freeze is the very opposite of that. What if the most efficient parts of the public service leave? What if the most inefficient parts stay?

This is an ill thought through policy. It will either save very little money or will degrade government services. Or both.