- By the end of the 2026 financial year, the number of red tape enforcers—federal government employees engaged in regulatory roles—will be more than 107,000 people. This annual increase of 1,500 people from the 2025 financial year brings overall growth of red tape enforcers since the 2023 financial year to more than 17,000, or 19 per cent.
- Annual staffing costs to employ red tape enforcers alone will be approximately $15 billion by the end of the 2026 financial year. This is an increase of $276 million (+2%) from the 2025 financial year, and an increase of $2.7 billion since the 2023 financial year (+22%).
- The number of red tape enforcers will increase in all government portfolios by an average of just over 1%, with the Attorney-General’s portfolio accounting for the greatest growth between the 2025 and 2026 financial years (+5%).
- Between the financial years ending 2023 and 2026, regulatory staffing numbers at the Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio are forecast to have increased by 72 per cent from 3,311 to 5,680.
- The two portfolios with the next greatest growth over the period were Health and Aged Care (from 7,404 to 9,850, or 33%) and Finance (from 1,687 to 2,177, or 29%).
- By 2026, the average staffing level across the federal government (excluding military and reserves) is forecast to reach 213,349. This means that in 2026 over half the federal government workforce will be engaged in regulatory activity.
