Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced a bold and much-needed addition to his shadow cabinet, appointing Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price as the Shadow Minister for Government Efficiency. The role, inspired by similar initiatives in the United States under President Donald Trump, will focus on identifying and cutting wasteful government spending.

“I’m very pleased today to announce that Jacinta Price… will take on the important role of shadow minister for Government Efficiency,” Dutton told reporters. He praised Price for her significant contributions to Indigenous affairs, highlighting her leadership in opposing the Voice referendum and addressing national division.

“There is a lot of waste that’s been generated over the course of the last two and a half years—$6 billion a year spent on 360,000 new public servants in Canberra,” he said. “That is of no assistance whatsoever to the people of Cairns and the people of regional communities who want additional investment.”

Price’s new role will likely focus on holding the government accountable for its spending decisions, with Dutton emphasizing that addressing inefficiency could help tackle broader economic issues. “The work that Jacinta will do… will be to find Labor’s waste,” he stated. “We can start with not having another $500 million Voice referendum that was designed to divide our country.”

The Opposition Leader linked government waste to rising inflation and interest rates, accusing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of ignoring advice from the Reserve Bank governor. “Reducing Labor’s waste will help us reduce inflation, therefore reduce interest rates,” Dutton argued.

🚨BREAKING: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has announced Jacinta Nampijinpa Price will become the Shadow Minister for Government Efficiency, likened to the US administrations (DOGE), which is led by Elon Musk to eliminate harmful and useless layers of bureaucracy. pic.twitter.com/BGR2mXYwZo

— Australians vs. The Agenda (@ausvstheagenda) January 25, 2025