Senator Critical as Federal Public Service Budget Blows out by Nearly $1 Billion

ABS figures reveal the total federal government payroll rose to $40.8 billion in the 2024–25 financial year.Tourists visit Parliament House of Australia in Canberra, Australia, on May 04, 2019. Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images11/20/2025|Updated: 11/20/2025Government staffing budgets were the subject of scrutiny at a recent Senate sitting.Liberal Senator Jessica Collins cited analysis by the Australian Financial Review showing staffing budgets had blown-out by $841 million (US$546 million) in the previous year.Alfred Bui is an Australian reporter based in Melbourne and focuses on local and business news. He is a former small business owner and has two master’s degrees in business and business law. Contact him at [email protected].Author’s Selected Articles