The millionaire founder of the Jim's Mowing franchise empire has issued a radical demand to dramatically shrink the Australian government, calling for the sacking of 1.7 million public sector workers to combat what he calls 'massive inefficiency'.
A 'Bloated' and 'Unaccountable' System
Jim Penman, who built a multi-million-dollar network spanning over 50 services from cleaning to dog washing, has launched a scathing critique of the nation's bureaucracy. He claims the public service is crippled by bloat and a lack of accountability, arguing that workers are effectively 'unsackable' regardless of performance.
'I cannot comprehend how the public service works. It's so, so bloated,' Mr Penman told news.com.au. 'People are unsackable. It doesn't matter how badly they perform. There is no concern about efficiency whatsoever.' His stark assessment concludes that the bureaucracy could be cut by two-thirds for a much better functioning government.
Post-Pandemic Job Boom Under Fire
Penman's proposal targets the record-high level of public sector employment. As of June 2025, there are 2.6 million public sector jobs in Australia, an all-time high. This means nearly one in six working Australians (18.3%) is employed by the government.
While this figure is below the global average and nations like Norway and Sweden, Penman argues the growth has been dangerously inflated since the Covid pandemic. He points to data from the Australian Industry Group (AIG) showing that in 2023 and 2024, over 80% of new jobs were in the non-market sector, largely within government-funded programmes like the NDIS.
'The cost is just unimaginable. We just have no idea how much we're impoverished by this garbage that goes on,' he stated, arguing that this surge crowds out private sector hiring and drags down national productivity.
Echoes from Industry and Political Ambitions
Penman's views find some sympathy in business circles. AIG Chief Executive Innes Wilcox noted a 'welcome decline' in government-supported jobs in 2025 but stressed the private sector must now fill the void. 'It is imperative that governments work to raise private sector investment and hiring levels,' Wilcox said.
Meanwhile, Jim Penman is considering taking his small-government crusade directly into politics. Last year, he revealed he was seriously contemplating running as a candidate in the 2026 Victorian state election and even hinted at launching 'The Jim's Party' in a bid for power, with himself as premier.
He identified housing as the number one crisis in Victoria, arguing that state-level policies are the source of senseless regulations that cripple the economy. 'Housing costs are perhaps the one area where community disgust may actually make change possible,' he posted on X.
This is not Penman's first major clash with authorities; he famously led a class action of his franchisees against the Victorian government during the Covid lockdowns, cementing his reputation as a vocal critic of government overreach.
