Part 3/9:
The size of the public sector has grown significantly over recent years. The Department of Social Services, which is the largest employer of public servants, has seen its workforce swell from 38,000 five years ago to approximately 48,000 today—a 26% increase.
More revealing are the specific increases in various administrative and management roles, which signal a move away from frontline service delivery:
Service delivery jobs: Up by 28%
Administrative roles: Up by 74%
Portfolio, program, and project management: Surged by 153%
Strategic policy positions: Increased by 154%
Communications and marketing: Rose by 89%
Human resources positions: Grew by 48%