SENATOR KATY GALLAGHER
SHADOW MINISTER FOR FINANCE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE PUBLIC SERVICE
CHAIR OF THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON COVID-19
SENATOR FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
KRISTY MCBAIN
LABOR CANDIDATE FOR EDEN-MONARO
The Prime Minister must rule out any further cuts to jobs of federal public servants who live in Eden-Monaro.
This week we have seen the start of the next wave of APS job cuts with announcement on Tuesday that 30 jobs will go from the National Gallery of Australia.
On Wednesday the CSIRO Staff Association revealed that 40 Energy Business Unit jobs will be cut and the CSIRO is on track to lose more than 500 jobs by 1 July.
These cuts at the CSIRO come at the very time that staff at the agency are working to support international efforts to find a vaccine for COVID-19.
Cuts across the APS this week send a disturbing signal of what is to come, particularly when they are on top of moves to close the ATO office in Geelong and slash the number of staff at the publicly funded ABC.
These decisions particularly highlight how the Morrison Government undervalues jobs and services in our regional towns and cities.
Federal government workers make up about 10 per cent of the workforce in Eden-Monaro with thousands of workers crossing the border into Canberra from surrounding towns every week day.
Decisions about the Australian Public Service have a huge direct and indirect impact on people who live in the Capital Region.
Scott Morrison has form when it comes to slashing APS jobs.
Since this Liberal Government took office in 2013 it has cut around 9,000 jobs in the Canberra area and almost 18,000 nationally.
These Liberal cuts have hurt towns like Queanbeyan, Yass and Cooma.
Scott Morrison and his Liberal candidate must rule out more job APS job cuts in the midst of the first recession in three decades.
Last week the Liberals opposed a motion in Parliament that called on the Morrison Government to rule out further APS job cuts.
Scott Morrison and the Liberals cannot be trusted to protect APS jobs and the essential services they provide.
FRIDAY, 26 JUNE 2020
