Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has called for the decentralisation of federal bureaucracy to places like his electorate in Tasmania, saying Canberra "doesn't own the public service".

Mr Wilkie, who was once a Canberra-based public servant, told 666 ABC Canberra this morning there was no logical reason why the ACT should be the centre of gravity for the federal public service.

He said public service jobs were a national resource and it was in the national interest that they be dispersed around Australia.

"These are obviously highly skilled, highly-paid jobs and I think they should be shared around the country," Mr Wilkie said.

"They're not the private property of people from Canberra."

ACT's Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson said any politician who made these sort of "silly claims" needed to think about the fact is that as a nation, we have invested in the growth of the national capital.

"This sort of pump priming from local MPs around the country should be seen for what it is," he said.

"This is grandstanding from Andrew Wilkie."

In May the federal budget included the highest number of public service job cuts in nearly 20 years, many of which will be lost from Canberra.

But the Member for Denison said while it made sense for some public servants to be based in Canberra, the Coalition flagged an interest in moving more bureaucrats to Tasmania during last year's federal election.

He said he would be pushing for that to happen.

"Of course some public service have to be in the Canberra. The secretary needs to be close to the minister and the secretary needs to be supported by his assistant secretaries," he said.

"But why on earth do you need to have a Tax Office call centre in Canberra?"

Mr Wilkie said it would make sense to have more public servants in Hobart because rents were lower and there was a large pool of job-ready people.

He said with better technology and connectivity, departments and public servants could easily be based anywhere in Australia, including his home state.

"We already have a sizeable federal public service presence here (in Hobart) . We've got a largish tax office, Centrelink, Immigration," Mr Wilkie said.

"It works very, very well and it's very good for the local economy."

Mr Wilkie's suggestion 'politically motivated'

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) said Mr Wilkie's call to decentralise the public service was not in line with community expectations.

CPSU deputy president Alister Waters said the comments were motivated by self-interest.

"The location of public service jobs should be based on the interest of the community, not on those of a sitting MP," he said.

Mr Waters said moving public servant jobs across Australia should be decided on the basis of merit.

"I think that we need to focus on putting jobs where those jobs need to be and not run down Canberra as the national capital," she said.

"The reality is that two thirds of public service jobs are outside of Canberra now.

"It makes sense for jobs to be located in Canberra so public servants can talk with policy-makers, as well as delivering world-class services in Dubbo, Frankston and communities right across Australia."

It comes as the Tasmanian Government considers the introduction of a wage freeze for all public servants as an alternative to axing 500 jobs.

In April, the State Government warned it may need to cut 1,500 public sector jobs to balance the budget.