Community deserves open, transparent account of Cronulla Fisheries decision

The NSW Minister for Primary Industries refusal to appear before an inquiry into the closure of the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre is a cowardly act that denies the community an open account of her decision making, according to the Public Service Association of NSW.

“It’s bad enough that Minister Katrina Hodgkinson has avoided meeting with affected workers for months on end, now she’s avoiding accountability by shunning the parliamentary inquiry,” General Secretary John Cahill said today.

“The closure of the world-renowned Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre has been exposed for what it is – a cynical attempt to cut the jobs of staff.

“Minister Hodgkinson should front the inquiry with the truth of why the decision to shut the Centre was made without a business case, without a cost-benefit analysis and without a cabinet submission.

“She can’t make important decisions then hid out in Macquarie Street to avoid the fallout.

“Cronulla Fisheries workers and their families have been ignored by the Government for months on end only to find their future is in limbo, not knowing if they will have a job tomorrow.

“The Public Service Association calls on Minister Hodgkinson to meet with workers and the union for a discussion of how she can overturn this flawed decision or mitigate the damage done,” Mr Cahill said.

 

Contact: Shane O’Brien 0418 227 977 / John Cahill 0419 413 577 / Jane Garcia 0434 489 533