THE Coalition’s plan to cut 40,000 jobs from the public service will leave local veterans waiting years for the support they need, according to the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU).

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has indicated that roles within the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), the Department of Health and the Department of Education are all on the chopping block.

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“Cuts to public services will have devastating consequences for millions of Australians, including the more than 10,500 veterans who live in the Newcastle, Hunter and Port Stephens region,” said Melissa Donnelly, CPSU National Secretary.

“Unfortunately, we have seen exactly how this plays out.

“Under the last Coalition Government, jobs in the Department of Veterans’ Affairs were cut and outsourced, leaving veterans lost in a backlog of almost 42,000 claims.

“Veterans were left waiting years for support they desperately needed and not getting it had devastating consequences.

“Peter Dutton’s plan to gut public services will take us straight back to the days of backlogs.”

Mr Dutton told reporters last week that public servants in Canberra have been “put on at record numbers” to appease unions.

“Now, the rate at which the public servants in Canberra have increased is at about three times the rate that it was under Mr Rudd and Ms Gillard when they were in government as Prime Ministers.

“It’s not an efficient way of spending $7 billion a year, and as a Liberal and particularly with the heavy influence from John Howard and Peter Costello, I want to spend taxpayers’ money efficiently.”