NSW, Victoria and Queensland could also each lose more than 1000 public service jobs.

The institute released an analysis on Wednesday of the economic impacts of the Coalition's proposed public service job cuts. The Coalition plans to reduce the Australian Public Service by 12,000 staff over three years by natural attrition if it wins the election.

The institute's executive director, Richard Denniss, said the Coalition had yet to make it clear whether the job cuts would focus on Canberra or be spread around Australia.

''With Parliament rising and politicians heading off to campaign for the election, it's time for the Coalition to clear this issue up,'' he said.

The analysis suggests more than 5400 jobs would be lost in the ACT, where most federal agencies are headquartered.

NSW would be the hardest-hit state, with a prediction of 1830 job losses, while Victoria and Queensland are predicted to lose 1550 and 1341 jobs respectively.

Western Australia would lose more than 800 jobs, while South Australia and Tasmania would lose 534 and 203 respectively.

The Northern Territory is predicted to lose more than 300 jobs.

''When Ford announced its decision to shed 1200 jobs, there was national outrage,'' Dr Denniss said.

''Unfortunately our analysis suggests that every state on the east coast will lose substantially more jobs than that if the Coalition spreads its planned job cuts across the country.

''With the election looming, the Coalition needs to clear up this ambiguous policy and explain the real effects of its planned public service job cuts.''

ACT Liberals Senate candidate Zed Seselja said the ACT economy would be better under an Abbott government than a Labor government.

''Since Labor came to office, unemployment in the ACT has almost doubled,'' he said.

''We have seen approximately 3000 public service jobs cut in the last financial year despite Labor promising this wouldn't happen.

''When the Coalition left office in 2007, unemployment in the ACT was 2.5 per cent.

''The Coalition is the best party to manage the economy nationally, and in the ACT.''