Thousands of public servants were offered psychological counselling after they learned last week of the government's plans for their pay and conditions.

The Department of Veterans' Affairs offered counselling to its 2000 mostly Canberra-based staff the day after The Canberra Times revealed the hard line the Abbott government would take to this year's pay talks for the nation's 165,000 federal public servants.

The office of Eric Abetz would not rule out the 0 per cent position. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

The government is expected to begin with a position of 0 per cent pay rises with any upwards movement to be traded off against entitlements and conditions, such as sick and carers' leave.