More Queensland public workers' jobs are at stake after the state government defined what a frontline job is. To enjoy job stability, public servants in the state must spend at least 75 per cent of their working hours in direct interaction with the public in person or by phone.

With that definition 12 per cent of the state's workforce or 25,000 employees classified as pen pushers are at risk of being axed as part of Queensland's cost-cutting programme.

The redefinition sets an actual percentage of time spent dealing with the public versus the old definition which merely stated spending majority of the worker's time serving Queenslanders.

However, Minister Assisting the Premier Glen Elmes assured state workers that the redefinition would not necessarily mean their removal since each Queensland department would make its assessment of programmes and spending on a case-to-case basis.

The result of the review and the number of jobs to be cut will be announced in the Sept 11 state budget. The 25,000 jobs at risk is just 5,000 over the 20,000 number that Queensland identified as the number of workers the state can no longer afford to keep on its payroll.

Alex Scott, secretary of Together Union, charged the state government of using the redefinition of frontline staff as a political cover to axe jobs. The opposition warned that with the new definition, train drivers, firefighters and court reporting staff may not meet the benchmark and end up unemployed.

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