The Queensland Government’s State of the Sector Report 2026 has revealed a record frontline workforce for the state’s public service.
The Report reveals there were 279,577 full time equivalent roles at March, an annual increase of 3.21%.
The Report shows an additional 8,693 employees, with only 34 of these in corporate support roles, meaning nine out of 10 public sector roles comprise frontline or frontline support.
Premier, David Crisafulli said the Government was delivering a stronger and more empowered public service.
“We are delivering more frontline police, teachers and health workers to deliver a fresh start for Queensland, with better services through a stronger economy, as we build Queensland’s future,” Premier Crisafulli said.
“Our promise to Queenslanders was to strengthen and build the capability of our public service, and these numbers show that’s exactly what we’re doing with more frontline staff than ever before.
“Queensland needs more frontline workers to deliver the programs and services to fix the crises we inherited in youth crime, health, housing and cost of living, and that’s exactly what we’re continuing to deliver.”
Increases in key frontline full time employees from March 2025 to March 2026 include:
- Ambulance officers rising 7.93%, to 5,939;
- Child safety case workers rising 9.23%, to 2,133;
- Correction officers rising 5.14%, to 5,544;
- Doctors rising 5.40% to 13,833;
- Nurses and Midwives rising 3.89% to 45,575;
- Police increasing 3.93% to 12,761 officers;
- Teachers increasing 4.48% to 49,603.
The strongest growth has been in the health sector with 4,867 new full-time employees, accounting for more than half the new positions, increasing the State’s health workforce to 119,633 full time equivalent workers.
The state’s education sector has grown by 1,872 workers to 83,578 full time equivalent staff.
The Report showed there are 12,761 Police officers across Queensland as of March 2026. Since March, that figure has passed 13,000, for the first time in the State’s history.
The 194-page State of the sector report 2026 can be found here.
