Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has suggested overhauling the public service and falsely claimed migrants receive help to buy a home as soon as they arrive in Australia in an explosive hour-long leaked audio.
In remarks made to small businesses at a closed-door event in Queensland on Thursday, Taylor spoke broadly about “bureaucratic waste” and suggested honing in on the Australian Public Service.
“We have agencies across government right now that do not serve the Australian people the way they should. They serve themselves,” he said in the audio leaked from the event and obtained by nine.com.au.
“The number one thing [government agencies] have to focus on is the national interest, is having an economy that works for Australians, a country that works for Australians.
“And if the bureaucracy’s getting in the way of that, they shouldn’t be there. It’s that simple.
“This is a business-like approach to government that we desperately need.”
They are Taylor’s strongest remarks on public service cuts, which was a policy ousted former opposition leader Peter Dutton had to walk back after widespread criticism during the last federal election.
Taylor also made the false claim that the federal government allows migrants to access programs like the 5 per cent home deposit scheme on “the day they arrive in the country”.
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