WE will have an election in the spring, one of the major parties will win and whichever it is will make cuts to the public service.

It’s possible that the cuts may be more severe under a Coalition government, but I reckon the difference will be negligible.

Whichever party wins, both have the same problem: there’s not enough money to do all of the things they want to do. The Coalition has been honest about the cuts they plan to make; Labor hasn’t.

The ALP, which declared it wasn’t cutting public service jobs, has already chiselled out 3000 workers in the last financial year. The Coalition plan of 12,000 workers over three years translates to 4000 a year. There’s not really much difference. In fact, with Treasurer Bowen and Prime Minister Rudd talking the fiscally conservative talk that they have in the first weeks since the latest coup, the Labor cuts may be the more extreme.

Beth, a Federal public servant and a listener to my radio program, sent me a Twitter message last week to share the news that her department had told staff that they will shed more than 1300 positions in the next 12 months through natural attrition.

I don’t know which department, but it seems indicative of a staff-cutting direction to me.

I’m not downplaying the seriousness for our town, but we need to get used to the idea that the public service will be trimmed.

Last week, I spoke with Richard Dennis from the Australia Institute about the Coalition’s plans. He’s suggesting that the best-possible scenario would see 5400 jobs go from Canberra. That’s a big number.

He doesn’t quite understand why there’s national outrage when 1200 Ford workers lose their jobs in Geelong, but nothing when 5000 public servants lose their jobs in a city our size.

When John Howard’s mob went through with the slasher, it really knocked the wind out of Canberra’s sails. My mate Rod works in the fast-food business and says his turnover decreased by a third almost overnight in that period. He’s worried it will happen again.

Hang on Canberra, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Mark Parton is the breakfast announcer on 2CC