Sydney Olympic Park relocation – Sin-binned by FACS board – March 2018 (PDF version)
PSA members’ vigilance and opposition to the December 2017 proposal to relocate the FACS Central Office and administrative roles to a new location at Homebush were vindicated with an email to staff by Deputy Secretary Corporate Services, John Hubby on Friday, 23 March 2018.
It’s obvious the unprecedented negative feedback from 2,300 staff convinced the Board this proposal was a lemon.
FACS’s advice is that extensions to current leasing arrangements at Ashfield office sties have provided more time to put together a more desirable proposal for a head office relocation.
A move will happen, but not until 2022.
As reported to a well-attended PSA members’ meeting at Ashfield on 22 March 2018, your representatives had provided, through the FACS PSA Accommodation Working Group, the very reasons quoted by the Board which swayed its decision to reject Sydney Olympic Park.
These are –
- Exponential increase in commuting times for employees
- Limited pubic transport options and disjointed connections would result in increased demand by staff to use private car transport in an already gridlocked city
- Staff anxiety in meeting existing family and carer commitments
- Poor proximity of Sydney Olympic Park in relation to other parts of FACS and other government agencies.
The FACS Board has foreshadowed a revised timeline with the aim of a relocation and consolidation of staff to a new site/s by 2022.
Whilst Sydney Olympic Park is off the table, the thought bubble of an agile, collaborative new world working environment is still on the Executive’s agenda.
The PSA gave an undertaking to survey Sydney-based members as to the relocation proposal and agile workplace developments. This is still valid and the PSA requests members participate in the survey click HERE.
This feedback will assist your representatives negotiate whatever new relocation proposal is foreshadowed along with the agile workplace developments which will likely emerge well before 2022.
If members need further assistance, call the PSA Member Support Centre on 1300 772 679.
United We Bargain, Divided we Beg.
A Unionised Workplace is a fairer one!