Members have enlisted their concerns over correspondence provided by Land & Housing Corporation, Head of Assets regarding the Delegations Policies and the commentary surrounding the proposed expansion of delegated responsibilities to contractors, consultants and agency staff.

The PSA is dismayed that there could potentially be a diminution of governance arrangements especially when dealing with a transition of billions of dollars in public sector assets.

The PSA has subsequently written to the L&HC CEO relaying our member’s concerns on three matters in particular:

1. The PSA will fight any proposed changes to delegations that gives contractors, consultants or agency staff any Human Resource or Financial delegations;

2. The identification by Senior L&HC bureaucrats of deficient organisational structures that require such a proposed deviation of State Law and Government Sector governance practice and;

3. The lack of readily visible and satisfactorily robust programs developed to reduce the reliance on contingent labour within L&HC, despite there being an industrial requirement to administer such programs.

It is a timely reminder to members that contractors, consultants and agency staff have no authorised delegations to expend public finances or administer supervisory capacity over public servants for very obvious reasons.

If contingent labourers have skills required to be administered in the L&HC then give them a job and an organisational structure that justifies the expense.

L&HC also has the requirements to consult before the engagement of contingent labour which appear to have been neglected. Below is an excerpt from your Enterprise Instrument.

11. Use of Consultants/Contractors

In line with Government commitments, the parties agree to develop programs to reduce the use of consultants/contractors by greater reliance on the expertise of professional public servants and the development of strict quality control procedures for the engagement of outside assistance.

The Department agrees to consult with the Association before it engages consultants/contractors, and the parties agree to make all possible efforts to resolve disagreements promptly and fairly.

Accordingly, the PSA has sought a commitment that L&HC will rectify those situations where by the agency has failed to administer its industrial obligations with the PSA.

If members want to know more you can contact the PSA Industrial Officer Shane Howes .