Your union, the Public Service Association of NSW (PSA), is writing to provide an update regarding the Cyber Security NSW Change Management Plan (CMP) and the upcoming Joint Agency Cyber Command Centre (JAC3) Pilot, following management’s Town Hall Briefing on 26 August 2026.
Acknowledging the positives of the plan
The PSA recognises the critical importance of strengthening whole-of-government cyber defence and capability across New South Wales. We welcome several constructive commitments confirmed in the CMP and the 26 August 2026 briefing:
- No job losses: management has confirmed that the realignment involves no direct reductions to overall headcount or staffing levels.
- Substantive role and grade protection: no roles are being downgraded. Substantive classifications, grades, and salaries remain fully protected.
- Voluntary pilot participation: participation in the initial JAC3 co-location pilot remains strictly voluntary for staff seeking specialist development and threat intelligence collaboration opportunities.
General industrial and Work Health and Safety concerns
While the commitment to maintaining jobs and grading is noted, the PSA is actively monitoring several industrial and operational aspects of the CMP (dated 26 August 2026) to ensure our members’ working conditions, safety, and award entitlements are fully safeguarded:
- Travel, co-location, and commuting burdens
The JAC3 pilot involves co-location at NSW Police Headquarters in Sydney Olympic Park with a mandated on-site attendance of five days per fortnight. For members accustomed to regional hubs or local flexible working locations, this creates substantial commuting time and out-of-pocket travel expenses. While discounted parking has been arranged, permanent relocation assistance has not been provided. The PSA insists that all travel and expense provisions under the Crown Employees (Public Service Conditions of Employment) Reviewed Award 2009 (the Conditions Award’) are strictly respected. - National security clearance obligations (NV1 / NV2)
Higher-tier vetting (Negative Vetting Level 1 and Level 2) places significant administrative, personal, and vetting scrutiny on employees. The PSA is seeking clear organisational guarantees that delays or issues in clearance processing will not prejudice any member’s ongoing employment or career progression. - Workload and psychosocial job demands
Managing business-as-usual commitments alongside new reporting lines, pilot onboarding, and cross-agency integration creates risks of role ambiguity and workload overload. Under the SafeWork NSW Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work and Section 19 of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, DCS management has a duty of care to proactively eliminate and control these psychosocial hazards. - Intra-band supervisory reporting
The introduction of intra-band reporting lines (e.g. Clerk Grade 11/12 roles reporting to Associate Directors at the same Clerk Grade 11/12 level) requires clear governance protocols to prevent supervisory ambiguity, delegation friction, and unfair performance management pressures. - Future operating hours & 24/7 readiness
As the JAC3 pilot expands across subsequent phases, any transition toward extended operating hours, shift arrangements, or on-call requirements must strictly adhere to the overtime, shiftwork, and on-call penalty rates prescribed in the Conditions Award. - Consultation and status updates
The PSA will continue to engage in good-faith consultation with Department of Customer Service management under M2025-07 NSW Government Consultative Arrangements Policy and the DCS Consultative Framework Guidelines to ensure members are not adversely affected as implementation proceeds toward the 11 September 2026 structure go-live.
We want to hear from you: Member feedback
To ensure your union represents your interests effectively in ongoing discussions with Department of Customer Service leadership, we want to hear directly from impacted staff.
If you have questions, individual concerns, or feedback regarding travel, workload, reporting changes, or security clearance requirements, please contact the PSA Member Support Centre:
PSA Contacts