NSW Government’s ICAC cuts great news for corruption
The Berejiklian Government’s savage cuts to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption is great news for corruption, according to the Public Service Association.
The ICAC has announced it will be forced to make 31 full-time employees redundant as a result of the $4.7 million cuts.
The PSA, which represents ICAC staff, says the cuts will be devastating.
“ICAC cuts are great news for corruption in the same way park ranger cuts are great news for bushfires,” said PSA General Secretary Stewart Little.
“If you sack a quarter of your employees that’s going to cripple your effectiveness. That shouldn’t shock anyone with a shred of common sense.
“This government keeps spruiking this fantasy that you can cut jobs, slash budgets, and everything will just keep on working fine. As we are seeing this bushfire season, that’s not true.
“If you slash experienced rangers, you slash your capacity to fight fires. If you slash a quarter of ICAC personnel you slash your capacity to fight corruption.
“Ripping huge holes in budgets and slashing public sector jobs isn’t clever economic management. It’s stupid and short sighted.
“We all know this state government has had its fair share of problems with the ICAC. Well, these proposed cuts are a guaranteed way to ensure they don’t have to worry so much about the Commission going forward.”
Further comment: Stewart Little 0434 062 079
Media enquiries: Suze Metherell 0412 867 084