The incredible shrinking public sector

The public sector’s share of total employment fell from 26 per cent in 1984 to 16 per cent in 2005, amounting to 940,000 fewer jobs in the public sector. While all levels of government have lost employment share, the Commonwealth is the only sector to have also experienced a decline in absolute job numbers. Tony Kryger examines the size and nature of the decline in public sector employment share in Australia, and surveys explanations and consequences.