The Use of Redundancy in the Queensland Public Service from 1859 to 1999: From Economic Necessity to Organisational Choice?

Abstract

Public service employment has traditionally been perceived as secure and permanent. This security has been reduced in recent years, as economic pressures and broader public sector reforms have resulted in the redundancy of many public servants. While many consider this to be a revolutionary trend, a review of the Queensland public service demonstrates that redundancies have long been a feature of public sector employment. The nature of redundancy appears to have changed over time, with earlier redundancies being largely related to adverse economic circumstances, and more recent redundancies being less related to economic cycles than to organisational choices to restructure. The legislative provisions for redundancy have also changed and become more flexible and accessible. This combination of the change in the nature of redundancy, and the more accessible provisions, provides scope for redundancy to become a means of political dismissal.