The Australian Public Service (APS) has seen a significant expansion under the Albanese government, with an average of 28 new public servants hired each day since Labor took office in May 2022. This growth has brought the total federal workforce to 195,847 employees by December 2025, nearing a record 200,000 positions.
Analysis of 103 federal agencies revealed that 92 increased their staffing numbers between June 2022 and December 2025, resulting in a 23% increase in the APS size over three and a half years. The federal public service grew from 159,179 employees in June 2022 to 195,847 by December 2025, an increase of approximately 36,700 staff.
This expansion follows the Albanese government's decision to abolish a staffing cap imposed by the previous Coalition government. This cap, introduced by former finance minister Mathias Cormann, had limited the size of the public service to around 155,000 employees, a level comparable to 2007. Critics of the cap argued it encouraged departments to rely more heavily on external consultants and contractors, who were not subject to the limit.
The government has defended the workforce increase, asserting that the current size of the public service remains consistent with historical levels when measured against Australia's population. In December 2025, public servants constituted about 0.7% of Australia's population of 28 million, a proportion slightly lower than in 2007 when public servants made up approximately 0.75% of a population of 21 million.
Labor also contends that bringing work back in-house has reduced reliance on consultants and contractors, thereby rebuilding public sector capability. The most substantial staff increases have occurred in agencies managing major government programs.
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) saw the largest rise, adding 5,986 staff and more than doubling its workforce to 11,052 to accommodate the NDIS's expansion. Defence increased its staff by 3,823, reaching 20,710, as the government expanded military capabilities and prepared for projects like the AUKUS submarines. The Department of Home Affairs grew by 2,753 employees to 16,611, attributed to increased demands in immigration, border protection, and national security.
Furthermore, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water added 2,420 employees to its workforce, growing from 3,714 to 6,134, in line with the government's climate and energy policies. Services Australia, responsible for administering programs like Centrelink and Medicare, added 1,730 employees, bringing its total to 34,026 and making it the largest agency within the Commonwealth public service.
In late 2025, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher stated that the federal workforce was at "roughly the right size." She defended the growth by emphasizing that the additional staff are improving service delivery for the Australian public and reducing the government's dependence on external consultants and contractors.