Australian Government Expected To Call For Voluntary Redundancies

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has opened a voluntary redundancy round that is expected to result in hundreds of job losses. The move comes amid discussions regarding funding cuts and efficiency measures. One commentator noted that these cuts occur despite an Interim Royal Commission report indicating an increased threat level in counter-terrorism. Critics argue the cuts are poorly timed given the increased threat level identified in a recent interim Royal Commission report. This measure will be included in next week's budget, which focuses on spending restrictions and savings. Liberal MP Aaron Violi stated the government is adopting an idea previously warned about by the opposition. The opposition claims they warned the Labor government before the last election that the bureaucracy was expanding too rapidly.