Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing Bulletin
Office of Liquor Gaming & Racing Bulletin September 2014 (PDF version)
Relocation of General Licensing Staff
On the 25th July the Licensing Branch of the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing (OLGR) were informed that they would be relocated from their current location in Parramatta to 323 Castlereagh St Sydney. This relocation has come only 18 months after staff were moved from Castlereagh Street to Parramatta.
This decision was made with no consultation with staff or the PSA, and staff only found out about it when Trade and Investment facilities planners began showing the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) managers around the space at the start of July. It was later confirmed by ILGA staff that they were informed by their Chief Executive on 18 July that OLGR would be relocated back to the city and ILGA would be moving to Parramatta. It wasn’t until 25 July that OLGR staff received an email informing them that the move would take place in early September.
NSW Trade and Investment have shown a blatant disregard of their obligation to consult with staff. There has been no attempt to mitigate the adverse effects of such a move, no transparency behind the decision, and importantly no reason given as to why staff are being relocated just 18 months after moving to Parramatta.
The PSA is in the process of setting up a meeting with Trade and Investment to present and progress the concerns of members. The outcomes of this meeting and what happens next will be communicated to members directly. If there is no satisfactory outcome the PSA will consider further options, such as lodging a dispute. While a dispute is unresolved all parties must continue working in a normal manner. The PSA would regard work continuing to be undertaken at Parramatta as the ‘normal manner’.
Staff Concerns
On Monday 25 August concerned staff organised a meeting to discuss their issues with the relocation.
After hearing the concerns from our members, the PSA are asking the following questions:
- Has there been an evidence-based decision making process on why OLGR’s Licensing Branch needs to be relocated back to the CBD? Has the possibility of a suitable alternative space been explored for staff to remain in Parramatta?
- Why have staff been denied the opportunity to seek transfer between ILGA and OLGR, despite the provisions of Section 29 of the Government Sector Employment Act 2013?
- Can staff be matched against vacant positions in other government agencies in the Parramatta region?
