Barton one day, Burnie the next?
Public service departments and agencies based in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne face relocation to Tasmania as part of a plan being pushed by Liberal MPs, with agencies working in the agriculture, fisheries and tourism portfolios being considered.
Tasmanian Liberal senator Jonathon Duniam this week confirmed he was lobbying for relocation of non-policy related jobs, as part of the National Party's forced relocation plans announced in April.
Any moves to decentralise to Tasmania could help in communities with high unemployment rates, reaching more than 10 per cent in some regions. It would also help the Liberal Party's electoral prospects, after a wipe out in three crucial seats at the 2016 election.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and his Nationals' colleague Fiona Nash have required Turnbull government ministers to justify the continued presence of public servants in their portfolios in big cities by next month, with cabinet to decide who stays and who goes by the end of the year.
Senator Duniam echoed his Coalition colleagues in making the case for decentralisation this week, talking up lifestyle benefits for people living outside Australia's big cities.
"As we've seen with the Australian Antarctic Division, having these agencies close to where their clients or business is based not only improves the service they offer but boosts the local economy," he told The Advocate.
"With a lower cost of living and better quality of life there is no better place for these public services."
Tasmania currently has just 2.6 per cent of federal public servant jobs, or 3985 workers, compared with 37.2 per cent in the ACT, 19.2 per cent in NSW and 16.9 per cent in Victoria.
About 50 per cent of public servants working in Tasmania are employed by the massive Department of Human Services, while a further 16 per cent work for the Tax Office.
Tasmanian Liberal Premier Will Hodgman backs the calls for forced relocations to his state.
Mr Joyce has ruled out moving further the Tax Office staff, as well as the departments of Treasury and Finance from Canberra. Figures provided to Senate estimates show Canberra is currently home to more than 85 per cent of staff at the department of Infrastructure, a portfolio overseen by Senator Nash and fellow Nationals' minister Darren Chester.
Senator Nash is also the junior minister in the Communications portfolio, which has 84 per cent of its staff based in Canberra, analysis by Fairfax Media found.
In Victoria, Warrnambool City Council has put its hand up for consideration under the controversial plan.
Chief executive Bruce Anson said local shires wanted to boost their populations through attracting public servants and placing offices near the local TAFE and hospital could see improved services.
"It's clear not everyone is going to get everything and in many cases the towns do not have the capacity," he said.
During a visit to Warrnambool with Veterans' Affairs Minister and Wannon MP Dan Tehan, Senator Nash said she was serious about seeing public and private sector jobs moved to the regions.
"Regional people deserve the benefit of public sector jobs just as much as city people," she said. "It provides career paths."
A parliamentary committee considering decentralisation will produce an issues paper by August 31 and an interim report by the end of the year.
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