MRC Report: Stop the Bloat

Delivering a more efficient and effective Government

Published: March 2025

Author: Nico Louw

Inefficiency and waste in the Commonwealth Government imposes significant costs on all Australians.

Excessive red and green tape is driving up costs for businesses, holding back economic growth and productivity. The effectiveness of government services is being reduced by a bloated, Canberra-centric public service and waste across grant programs, leading to higher deficits that put upwards pressure on inflation.

Addressing inefficiency and waste requires considered and concerted ongoing action and strong accountability mechanisms. This report puts forward what should be uncontroversial recommendations for the Government to achieve this.

These recommendations fall into three categories: cutting red tape and regulation, reducing wasteful spending, and improving Government efficiency. One-off cuts to wasteful spending do little to change the dynamic. We need to change attitudes and systems in Canberra to achieve efficient Government over the long term.