NSW Govt must reverse 1,000 education job cuts as Gonski funds flow

MEDIA RELEASE   

23 April 2013

NSW Govt must reverse 1,000 education job cuts as Gonski funds flow

The NSW Government must immediately reverse harsh job cuts in schools and education support as it secures funding under the Gonski National Education Reform Agreement, the Public Service Association said today.

“We’re thrilled that NSW schools will receive more funding under the agreement, but we won’t see real improvements in schools if we continue cutting jobs of the staff who support education,” said PSA President Sue Walsh.

“The NSW Government is in the process of cutting 1,000 jobs from school education.

“This includes 600 from Department of Education state and regional offices providing curriculum support and professional learning for teachers.

“And up to 400 are being cut from inside the school gates – these jobs deliver direct support to students, teachers and parents on the ground in schools.

“Every parent of a child who needs additional learning support in schools understands the impact on their child’s education when those resources are cut.

“The deal with the Federal Government to secure additional funds for NSW schools is a great opportunity for the NSW Government to reverse the harsh job cuts from school education.

“Money alone won’t give our kids a better education, we need the staff on the ground to support students, teachers and school communities.”

The NSW Government must not fund its additional commitment to education under the reform agreement by further slashing public services, said Ms Walsh.

“The people of NSW shouldn’t have to lose other important public services and vocational educational to be assured of a quality education for their children,” she said.  “It’s time the O’Farrell Government started to recognise the real value of public services in NSW.”

Contact: Sue Walsh 0419 691 103 / Maria Cirillo 0407 060 960/ Jane Garcia 0434 489 533 

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Cuts to public sector jobs driving a rise in unemployment

Cuts to public sector jobs are driving a rise in unemployment and putting pressure on services

Monday, 18 February 2013

Download ACTU media release

New research by the ACTU reveals that the number of public sector jobs in Australia has fallen for
the first time in more than a decade after Coalition state governments last year sacked tens of
thousands of workers and made harsh cuts to public services.
More than 50,000 public administration and safety jobs were lost around the country in the year
to November 2012, with about half of those cuts taking place between May and November as
state governments in New South Wales and Queensland executed radical job cuts. And more job
losses are on the way as state governments foreshadow further deep cuts to their wages bills.
The ACTU Jobs Report found that employment in public administration and safety fell by 6.9% – by
far the biggest yearly fall in employment in that industry on record going back to 1984 – with these
cuts to public services being a major factor in the rise in Australia’s unemployment rate.
ACTU President Ged Kearney said cutting public servants had led to more pressure on vital
services like health and education and an impact on unemployment rates.
“The Federal Government, as well Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and WA, and local
governments, have reduced the size of their public sector,” Ms Kearney said.
“This is likely to continue this financial year, and into 2013-14. For example the Newman
Government in Queensland only took office in March and the bulk of their savage cuts took effect
in the second half of 2012.”
“Cutting public sector workers is a short-sighted policy which will lead to reduced services for all
Australians. Many of the workers who lose their jobs will spend long periods of time in
unemployment.
“What is most concerning is that Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have said they will slash 20,000
Commonwealth government jobs as soon as they are elected, and are looking for savings of more
than $50 billion.”
The National Secretary of the Community and Public Sector Union, Nadine Flood, said public
sector workers were fiercely proud of the work they do, but warned Australia’s world-class public
service is under threat from conservative politicians at the State and Federal level, keen to make
deep budget cuts.
“With the public sector already under pressure, cuts like those put forward by Tony Abbott will
severely damage public services in Australia,” Ms Flood said. “No matter how the Coalition tries to
spin it, deep cuts to the public sector mean cuts to the services that Australians rely on.”
Ms Kearney said that the ACTU’s analysis of unemployment data showed that while the official
unemployment rate of 5.4 per cent had stayed steady over the last three months, the total
number of hours worked had dropped.
The ACTU’s Jobs Report for February is available in the Publications section at www.actu.org.au
Media contacts: Ben Ruse (ACTU) 0409 510 879; Julian Lee (CPSU) 0409 493 290

CORRECTIVE SERVICES CUTS WILL PUT DUBBO COMMUNITY AT RISK

12 Corrective Services jobs are to be cut in Dubbo when the Community Compliance and Monitoring Group (CCMG) office closes as part of a State-wide restructure by Corrective Services NSW. According to the Western Plains Community Union Alliance the job cuts will mean
high-risk offenders will no longer be supervised and monitored after business hours and on weekends. The CCMG currently monitors extreme high-risk offenders on Parole Orders and Good Behaviour Bonds such as murderers, sex offenders, offenders with links to Outlaw Motor Cycle Gangs (OMCG), offenders subject to electronic monitoring, offenders on Home Detention Orders as well as Intensive Corrections Orders.
Officers conduct unannounced home visits both during and after business hours (including weekends and public holidays), and urine drug tests and alcohol breath testing to ensure offenders comply with the conditions of their Orders.

Read the full story here

NSW Commission of Audit Interim Report – Public Sector Management (Schott Report)