Members have reported their concerns to the PSA over the current consultation arrangements surrounding the MEG agency change management plan. As part of consultation individual members and groups have asked what they should be doing to inform the process. This involves questions, comment or suggestions to MEG functionality moving forward and the effect on individual staff and groups.

A number of individual members and groups have provided their feedback already and the PSA encourages staff to do so.

If staff members want to provide their feedback to the PSA they can via PSA delegates or Industrial Officers Shane Howes and Michael Sinclair

As previously mentioned, the PSA provided our initial concerns to MEG management last week that related to the pace of the reform; the lack of direct appointments and; the perceived requirement to develop a new structure yesterday, despite considerable outstanding work in traditional mining, geoscience and exploration fields like coal, gas, copper, gold etcetera. The pivot away from coal and gas to the exploration and mining of other minerals will take considerable time and expertise and won’t simply happen overnight.

The PSA met with DRNSW and MEG representatives on 14 September 2021 whereby MEG were able to provide further information on agency change rationale and some of the processes that they were progressing in order for there to be more direct appointments.

MEG has committed in the first instance to internal recruitment for roles as part of this reform. Some roles will be externally advertised as well but will be effectively quarantined till internal appointments are exhausted.

There was also discussions surrounding the ability of staff to make application for senior manager roles especially within several branches. Affected staff who gain promotion would leave much greater opportunities for staff to be directly placed as the numbers of roles and staff would be much more aligned.

Obviously this is predicated upon staff seeking promotion and then being successful for those roles. Previous executive recruitment saw those roles filled by external appointments so there is little demonstrated evidence that the long standing internal expertise is considered sought after in this newly amalgamated agency.

MEG also have included approximately 10 currently unfilled roles across the agency that affected staff can make application. The PSA has asked for a copy of these role descriptions and for these to be made available to determine whether any affected staff may be directly appointed to those positions or will have the skills and experience to apply.

Lastly MEG committed to the current two week timeframe for consultation that the PSA regards as manifestly inadequate. This is on the basis that the reform isn’t as extensive as the PSA and its members make it out to be.

The PSA has sought to meet with affect staff to hear about your concerns directly.