The Morrison Government has announced today that if re-elected it will cut $3.3 billion from the Australian Public Service over the next four years, cuts that the CPSU says will result in the loss of an estimated 5,500 jobs in departments that deliver essential, sometimes life-saving services to all Australians.
The public service should be a source of secure jobs, but under this Government, in a pattern that has been repeated across the economy, jobs in the public sector have become more insecure and pay has gone backwards in real terms.
After nearly a decade of cuts to secure jobs and permanent staff under the coalition we are seeing more money spent on consultants and labour hire in the public service than ever before.
Scott Morrison is ripping money away from services that Australians rely on every day – working people cannot afford another three years under this Government.
Quotes attributable to ACTU President Michele O’Neil:
“Rather than creating more secure jobs in the public service the Prime Minister is announcing that 5,500 workers will be out of a job if he is re-elected.
“Creating secure jobs and providing real pay rises to his own employees is one of the best tools the Prime Minister has to address the wage and secure job crises facing Australian workers. Instead he is cutting jobs and keeping caps on pay rises in place.
“These cuts will have real impacts on the services that Australian workers rely on and use every day. It also ignores what we have seen so clearly during the last few years of fires and floods and the pandemic. We rely on skilled, experienced public sector workers for their support in times of crisis.
“Working people need a Government and Prime Minister who works to create secure jobs and protects services – Scott Morrison has proved that he will do the opposite.”
