Trade Deal puts Public Services at Risk
Wikileaks release confirms alarm raised by Public Services International
Wikileaks today released secret draft text from the Trades in Services Agreement negotiations that confirms the concerns first raised by the global trade union Public Services International in the recent ground-breaking report ‘TISA versus Public Services.’
Abbott Cuts Hit S.A. Budget
Federal Government budget cuts particularly in the health sector has forced the South Australian Government to propose further job losses in the State sector. The Government proposes 4105 jobs to be cut, by 2018 comparing to their pre-election statement of 3,815 by 2017. Wage growth has been budgeted at 2.5% p.a.
Tasmania Triples PS Job Cuts
The jobs of more than 1,500 Tasmanian public servants could be cut between now and 2018 after the new Government announced plans to axe 1,000 extra public sector jobs. The State Government has revealed 1,000 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs could be cut from the public service over the next four years and it appears that is number is on top of the 500 full-time equivalent positions the Liberals pledged to axe by natural attrition
Abbott Cuts Cascade to State Services
After 3 years of austerity budgets from conservative Coalition State Governments in QLD, NSW, W.A., and Victoria an $80billion shortfall being now forced onto States by federal budget cuts will have a cascading effect across all our state delivered services. Just two weeks ago the Premiers met with the Prime Minister at COAG to discuss what Mr Abbott refers to as ‘new federalism’. COAG discussed budgets and taxation, funding for various program including health and education. COAG even put out a
National Community Corrections Catch-Up
An historic get together with Community Corrections union representatives from NSW, W.A. S.A. Tasmania and Victoria all in Sydney just prior to Easter to discuss common workplace issues including reduced resources and increased reporting, increasing Intense supervision - high profile persons and zero tolerance breaches, mandatory sentencing and the contracting out of intervention services to NGOs, privatisation and the possibility of social impact bonds being introduced. The planning discu
Secret Trade Negotiations threaten Public Services
The secret Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) aims to liberalise a wide range of services. A new report by Public Services International (PSI) warns that governments are planning to take the world on a liberalisation spree on a scale never seen before.
Standing Up for TAFE in WA
TAFE delegates from the West stood strong against intimidation to give crucial evidence to the Senate Inquiry into the role of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) in Australia. WA Branch Assistant Secretary, Rikki Hendon, attended the public hearing with two delegates from TAFE Institutes of Technology: Lewis Stevens (Central TAFE) and Denese Kelly (Polytechnic West). The intention was to provide the Senate inquiry with information about the cuts to TAFE Institutes and the impact of the Liberal Barnett government’s new ‘entitlement’ model and fee increases.
States Should Undertake NDIS Implementation
Our state governments should undertake the NDIS implementation functions, CPSU Federal Secretary Karen Batt said today following the release of an independent review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Ms Batt said, “States have already established disability service arrangements in both facilitation and delivery.”
“There’s no need to throw the baby out with the bath water which the current supplanting of state government functions does. “
“State Governments have well trained and highly motivated staff with a good skill base.”
Outsourcing Concerns Raised with CoA
CPSU has outlined a wide range of concerns about the potential outsourcing of Commonwealth government services in our submission to the Abbott Government’s National Commission of Audit. The Commission of Audit’s brief is to review the scope, efficiency, size and functions of the Commonwealth governmen