It depends on the areas where the consulting services are cut, the specific type of consulting services that will be cut. If you cut management consultants, I don't think the risk is there. However, if you cut, for example, engineering services or health care providers for remote communities, or even some IT specialists supporting or developing key systems, there can be a risk.
Is there capacity in the public service to replace these consultants? There probably is in many of these areas, but not in all of them.