Regional Organiser’s Gino DiCandilo & Ian Braithwaite met with state member for The Entrance David Mehan to discuss his commitments for Public Sector Employees covered by the Public Service Association.

David indicated that he himself was previously a public service employee and that he was fully supportive of the PSA and its members.

The following questions were discussed with David asking what his position was with the following responses.

Q1: The view of your party on privitisation of publicly owned assets and services?

Labor will end the privitisation of our utilities following the failed twelve-year experiment of the Liberals and Nationals who have sold off over $93 Billion worth of Government assets.

Q2: Does Labor support abolishing the unilateral statuary wages cap, which is at 2.5 per cent?

Labor will scrap this broken system and will abolish the wages cap. Labor will replace it with a better system. One that helps deliver fair wages, productivity growth, and better public services to the people of NSW.

Q3: What will Labor do to restore the neutrality and status of the longest-standing industrial commission in the country?

Labor is aware of the concerns of the current status and operations of the Industrial Relations Commission. A Labor government would continue dialogue with stakeholders as well as collaborating with our counterparts in the Federal Government as they continue to rollout industrial relations reforms across Australia.

Q4: What is Labor’s position on PSA members employed as school support staff having unacceptable levels of insecure work – up to 73 per cent are in temporary employment, the majority of whom are working women. What measures would your party put forward to resolve this issue?

School administrative support staff (SAS staff) currently face unacceptable high rates of casualization.

Over 50 per cent of SAS staff are currently in temporary work, with the percentage increasing to over 70 per cent for School Learning Support Officers. Labor believes this needs to change.

That’s why an elected labor Government will convert at least 5,000 SAS staff from temporary to permanent.

Labor wants to see the majority of students Learning Support Officers and other SAS staff in permanent positions so they can continue their important work in NSW schools.

Q5: What is Labor’s position on repealing and replacing the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (NSW)

Labor is committed to reviewing the Act in 2023 if elected in March so that all stakeholders can have their say about what shape the GSE Act needs to take moving forward.

The PSA welcomes the support of David Mehan towards our members and wishes him all the best in the upcoming NSW State Election on the 25 March 2023.

If any members would like to support David Mehan at polling booths on the 25 March or would like a core flute at their residence, please contact his office to show your support.