This paper provides an overview of the number of staff and the staffing costs of people employed within federal regulatory bodies and agencies across the 2025 and 2026 financial years. 

Key findings

• By the end of the 2026 financial year, the number of federal government employees engaged in regulatory roles will be more than 107,000 people.
• Annual staffing costs for these employees alone will be approximately $15 billion by the end of the 2026 financial year, an increase of 2% from the 2025 financial year and 22% since the 2023 financial year.
• The number of regulatory staff will increase in all government portfolios between the 2025 and 2026 financial years (+5%).
• By 2026, the average staffing level across the federal government (excluding military and reserves) is forecast to reach 213,349, meaning that in 2026 over half the federal government workforce will be engaged in regulatory activity.