Gallagher says Pocock will win first ACT Senate seat in next year's election

Public Service Minister Katy Gallagher fully expects independent David Pocock to be elected first when the ACT votes in next year’s federal election.

Following an address at the National Press Club giving an update on the Australian Public Service reform agenda, Senator Gallagher told journalists that the race in the ACT should now be considered in the context of a marginal seat, with no guarantees she will be reelected.

“The Senate race in the ACT is a marginal seat contest now,” the Minister said.

“Personally, I think David Pocock will be elected first, and it’s a race between [others] and Labor for the second seat. I think that’s how it will play out.”

Senator Gallagher said that will require a high-energy campaign from Labor, which stresses her record delivering for Canberra.

“We’re not going to have as much money as David Pocock,” she said.

“He had nearly $2 million last time to run a campaign. I expect his donors will run a similar-sized campaign again.

“We won’t have that money. In my time in politics, I’ve never seen that sort of money in Canberra.

“So, I’m going to have to campaign on my record and my commitment to this town.”

In total, the Pocock campaign received $1.7 million in donations, both cash and in kind, from 768 donors.

Climate 200’s total cash and in-kind contribution to Senator Pocock’s campaign amounted to $856,382.

Of Climate 200’s 11,200 donors, 1596, or 14 per cent, were from the ACT.

According to his own statements, the largest contribution from an individual donor to Senator Pocock’s campaign was $224,000.

“Many supporters set up small regular donations and together with an army of 2200 local volunteers, helped elect an independent candidate for the first time in the ACT,” he stated after the Australian Electoral Commission published details of donations made to political parties at the 2022 federal election.

Senator Gallagher used her speech on APS Reform on Thursday (5 December) as a political platform to warn of slashes to the public service if the Coalition is elected federally.

She said within the next six months, the future of the public service will be at the centre of an election contest – “between a government that understands the public service’s vital role in our democracy, and respects that role, and wants to protect it – and an alternative government which promises to cut jobs and reduce service outcomes”.

Quoting shadow ministers lining up to promise “36,000 public servants in Canberra” will lose their jobs if the Coalition is elected, the Minster warned they were not hollow promises – even though those jobs are spread across the entire country.

And it will mean a massive reduction in essential services delivered to Australians.

“When we came to government, these essential services were in crisis,” she said.

“Veterans waited months just for claims to be allocated for processing. Families couldn’t get through to Centrelink … But we’ve turned this around.

“Today, veterans’ claims are allocated within two weeks. Paid parental leave claims that took 31 days now take just three … Centrelink and Medicare calls are answered faster.

“At a time when Australians are facing real cost of living pressures, these cuts would mean longer wait times for critical payments and reduced support for those who need it most.

“The Shadow Treasurer describes the investment in the APS as ‘unnecessary spending’ … It’s the same old, lazy playbook – cut jobs, outsource work, and watch as policy capability collapses as Australians pay the price with a public service unable to deliver on their behalf.”

Senator Gallagher also told journalists in a media conference held directly after her speech that she had no plans to hand over the reins of her Public Service ministry to her Assistant Minister Patrick Gorman – to whom she gave high praise during her address.

“It’s a privilege to serve as Minister for the Public Service Minister. I love it, and it’s important for my home town, if I can be parochial for a moment.

“It’s a big employer in my home town. What happens here matters, and a lot of private actor businesses hang off the success of Canberra being the seat of government and the home of the public service, so it’s a very nice synergy for me.”