Gallagher warns of robodebt repeat if public service is cut, but denies ‘scare-mongering’

Finance, women's and public services minister says Coalition's promised cuts means failures of systems'

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Katy Gallagher has denied running a scare campaign against the Liberals on the possibility the public service would be gutted if the opposition was elected next year, while warning she has no doubts" the slash-and-burn would lead to another robodebt-style saga.

Several Coalition frontbenchers have ramped up their attacks on federal bureaucracy in recent months, accusing the Albanese government of mismanaging the budget by hiring more than 30,000 people to undertake key service delivery jobs, including in Centrelink and the NDIS.

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