The education department's voluntary redundancies nearly tripled in the last year, with staff exits rising to 92 departures compared to 34 the previous financial year.
A collation of departmental data reveals the scale and cost of the staff departures in 2025-26, as federal agencies shed staff to cope with tightening operational budgets.
The department finalised those 92 departures as of late June 2026, though the final financial bill for the increase was not yet settled at the close of the reporting period due to continuing separations.
