Your union, the Public Service Association of NSW (PSA), is writing to all Driver Tester members across Service NSW following confirmation that the agency has formally announced a major overhaul of the Driver Tester monitoring and assessment framework without prior or genuine consultation with the PSA.
What has Service NSW announced?
In the August 2026 Driver Testing Operations Newsletter and updated Customer Service Representative Driver Tester Policy (V0.5), Service NSW revealed significant structural changes to how Driver Testers are monitored, assessed, and retrained, including:
- Replacement of in-vehicle assessments: formal in-vehicle assessment and retraining activities have been discontinued and replaced with a new “Quality Assurance (QA) Check-In” model.
- Five-Day support and coaching cycle: a revised escalation pathway where examiners who do not achieve the 90 per cent standard are placed on up to five days of intensive coaching, simulated test runs, and repeated assessments, with failure to achieve 90 per cent resulting in mandatory enrolment into a five-day Stage 1 Retrain program.
- New operational directives: immediate introduction of mandatory hand signals during driving test assessments, revised dual-control vehicle assessment protocols, and ongoing desktop scorecard audits.
Breach of the consultative framework
While Service NSW has broadcast these substantial changes directly to staff, the agency failed to provide advance notice or consult with the PSA, including at the most recent Recurring Joint Consultative Committee (RJCC) meeting on 27 August 2026.
Under Clause 3 of the DCS Consultative Framework Guidelines and the NSW Government Consultative Arrangements Policy (Premier’s Memorandum M2025-07), changes to performance systems, quality assurance benchmarks, training policies, and frontline work practices are subject to mandatory consultation with the union.
Announcing and implementing major operational and performance changes via an internal staff newsletter without prior union consultation disregards established public sector industrial frameworks and undermines members’ rights.
PSA demands to DCS and Service NSW management
The PSA has formally written to Department of Customer Service (DCS) Industrial Relations placing the department on notice and demanding:
- Immediate stay of adverse actions: written confirmation that no punitive outcomes, forced role reassignments, or grade reductions will be imposed under the unconsulted monitoring model.
- Full disclosure of overhaul documentation: provision of all draft assessment guidelines, marking rubrics, auditor standard operating procedures, and scoring criteria to the PSA for formal review.
- Transitional protections for current staff: binding grandfathering and transitional protections for existing Driver Testers, particularly those currently undertaking monitoring, refresher coaching, or performance reviews.
- Urgent consultative briefing: scheduling of a dedicated consultative session with PSA industrial staff and elected Driver Tester delegates.
Have your say: member feedback requested
The PSA is collecting feedback from Driver Testers across the state to inform our ongoing industrial representations and upcoming consultative meetings with management.
We want to hear your views and experiences regarding:
- The practical operation and fairness of the new QA Check-In model and five-day coaching framework;
- Consistency of monitoring standards, auditor expectations, and local route conditions;
- Testing in home centres versus being directed to undertake assessments in unfamiliar locations;
- Any concerns regarding unrealistic scoring rubrics, lack of constructive feedback, or unreasonable pressure on examiners;
- Specific improvements and protections you want included in the finalised framework.
How to provide feedback
Please send your feedback, comments, or individual concerns to the PSA Member Support Centre:
Individual support and representation
If you are currently undergoing monitoring, facing assessment difficulties, or being pressured regarding your role, please reach out to the PSA Member Support Centre for confidential advice and representation.
In solidarity,
Contacts
Kieren Streat PSA Delegate & SNSW Departmental Committee Chair