The Queensland government is facing a "significant financial risk" due to an increase in the number of highly paid public servants in recent years.
And without making changes, it will be difficult to maintain a financially sustainable public service if the long-term trend continues, a report warns.
![The report found the public service overly top-heavy with too many senior bureaucrats compared to front-line staff.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170602042740im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/k/q/4/i/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gwhcxo.png/1496214362130.jpg)
A Queensland Audit Office report found there was an increase of up to 70 per cent in employees earning at a AO8 level, at least $100,000 a year, across different departments over the past five years.
Employees at level AO7 decreased over the same period.
"This means government is employing more staff at the higher annual earnings band to deliver on its objectives today than it did five years ago," the report says.
The audit office said it was explained to some extent by increases resulting from collective bargaining, but also by an increase in average job classifications.
It said there might be valid reasons why agencies employed more staff in the higher job classifications, such as increased complexity of government service delivery, but there was a "simple but significant financial risk".
"With existing controls in place for managing overall public service employee costs, it will be difficult to maintain a financially sustainable public service if this long-term trend continues," the report reads.
"Strengthening the controls around managing the public service workforce profile to meet future demand is warranted."
The Liberal National Party controversially sacked 14,000 public servants during its three years in office, something Labor campaigned strongly against and pledged to undo when it took office itself.
Across the government, there was an increase of 6800 – 3 per cent – full-time workers on the AO scale between June 2012 and June 2016.
The increase in higher-earning employees was mostly attributable to increases in nurses, health practitioners and doctors.
The audit office reviewed the strategic plan and organisational structure of 18 Queensland public sector departments.
It also examined the Environment and Heritage Protection, State Development and Transport and Main Roads departments in detail.
Two of the three departments could not demonstrate they had sufficiently considered if their staffing structure was fit-for-purpose, did not calculate or review staffing levels and employee ratios or the number of employees supervised by one manager.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the report acknowledged the government hired more frontline public servants, which was an election commitment.
She said she would have a look at the issue.
With AAP
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