Land and Property Information The fight goes on – April 2017 (PDF version)
The entire PSA has been hugely disappointed at the Berejiklian Government’s ‘fire sale’ lease of the state’s 150-year-old land titles registry to Hastings Funds Management and First State Super, for a meagre $2.6 billion.
It is astounding that the 35-year lease has gone ahead despite the serious concerns coming from professional stakeholders as diverse as the Law Council of Australia, the Law Society of NSW, the Real Estate Institute of NSW and the Institution of Surveyors. Not to mention many within the ranks of the Liberal Party.
Gladys ignored them all. It is clear that the Premier intends to follow the same arrogant practice of completely failing to listen to and consult with stakeholders and the community in general when it comes to making important decisions around public assets. This arrogance was on show when she tried to spin a 22 per cent swing against her in the recent North Shore and Manly by-elections, as business as usual.
The PSA, in conjunction with the Concerned Titles Group, were out in force on polling booths at those by-elections and you can be assured that the privatisation of LPI was firmly in the minds of traditional Liberal Party voters as they turned their back on Berejiklian.
PSA Industrial staff met with your delegates last Thursday to discuss some of the concerns that they have been hearing from members since the announcement.
Some of these concerns include:
- Will the PSA remain the union covering staff once the privatisation has concluded?
- How will the PSA be supporting members in the transition process to ensure they are fully protected once the contract is finalised with the buyer in the coming months?
- How the four-year Crown Employees Award guarantee works and whether the new owner can overturn these award conditions despite the fact that that four-year guarantee is set down in legislation?
- Will staff get the 2.5 per cent pay rise?
- What is happening with the Labor Party’s repeal bill?
The PSA would like to make this message very clear to our members; we are your union, and we will continue to fight and represent the best interests of our members, no matter what situation we are faced with.
We have organised a members meeting for Wednesday 19 April, 12.30-1.30pm in the Rolleston Room.
PSA General Secretary Stewart Little will attend, along with other industrial staff to address these questions and more so that staff can be reassured of their protections and entitlements going forward.
Mr Little has also been in the media. Listen to him on 2GB on Thursday 13 April making comments deriding the lease of LPI HERE.
You can view the PSA media release HERE.
In addition the PSA are organising actions outside train station to hand out info to the public. Whilst the announcement has been made, the PSA will not give up holding this Government to account for its disastrous decisions. The PSA will be out at Engadine railway station on the morning of Wednesday 19 April. To volunteer to help, please email PSA Industrial Manager Nathan Bradshaw at for more details.