State Services Minister Tony Ryall says the Government has successfully halted bureaucracy and capped the size of the public service.
He says that's a major achievement. The number of existing positions is now 37,457.
Mr Ryall issued figures showing a reduction of 1400 fulltime positions in the six months to July. He says more than half of those cuts were due to vacancies being disestablished.
However, the Public Service Association says it proves the Government is cutting jobs well below its promised cap of almost 39,000.
National secretary Richard Wagstaff rejects the minister's claim that non-essential jobs are being cut.
