Here are the responses from ACT Labor, the Canberra Liberals and the ACT Greens.
Q1 What are your party’s plans in relation to public sector funding?
ACT Labor
ACT Labor is committed to providing the high-quality services our community
expects and deserves.
ACT Labor knows that 2012-13 will be challenging for the Territory, with the
Commonwealth Government reducing spending.
ACT Labor is maintaining expenditure in 2012-13, targeted towards high
priority services, such as Health, Education, and Municipal, Community and
Emergency Services, to ensure the ACT economy continues to grow and support
jobs.
ACT Labor will bring the Budget back into surplus by 2015-16, in line with
its original budget plan developed during the Global Financial Crisis.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond. It does state
that “We will provide more support for front-line teaching staff in our schools”
ACT Greens
The ACT Greens have consistently committed to a strong and well resourced
public sector. Certainly we want the sector to be efficient but we also
recognise and highly value the public benefit from a strong public sector. While
there are some things which we may do differently within the sector we have no
plans to cut public sector funding.
Q2 As part of your budget strategy can you rule out:
Outsourcing work currently done by ACTPS employees to private
providers as part of your budget strategy
Selling public assets as part of your budget strategy and
The application of an Efficiency Dividend in the ACT Budget either
for a fixed period or as an on-going mechanism?
If you cannot rule out each of these measures, could you please provide
details the role it plays in your budget strategy?
ACT Labor
ACT Labor is committed to ensuring the cost-effective and efficient delivery
of high-quality government services our community expects and deserves.
ACT Labor expects innovation and productivity improvements will allow for the
delivery of services to the community more efficiently over time. This is true
whether the service is delivered directly by public servants or by an external
provider (such as the community sector).
There is no explicit strategy in the budget to increase outsourcing of
government activities. ACT Labor will consider particular service delivery
methods on a case-by-case basis, depending on what is best for the community,
the most cost-effective and what is appropriate to the particular activity.
The ACT Labor Government has been continually adding to the public asset
base. It is worthwhile noting that the Labor Government’s recent Budget is
delivering the largest capital program in the Territory’s history, over $900
million in 2012-13.
The need for restraint in expenditure growth has been clearly stated in the
budget papers. Consideration of future options and approaches will be settled in
future budget contexts in light of updated budget parameters.
The 2012-13 Budget contained modest savings, made up of targeted
administrative savings and some savings unallocated to particular activities, as
well as the cancellation of lower priority programs. This has allowed for the
reprioritisation of expenditure to high priority services.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond. There letter does
state: “we will not expect the already highly efficient and effective community
sector to reduce frontline services to fund a $1.4million government program to
tell the community sector how to be more efficient
ACT Greens
The Greens view is that it is far more efficient to have work done by the
ACTPS than outsource it to consultants or other contractors. In some isolated
instances we do believe that there is a greater role for the community sector to
deliver services, such as mental health services, however, typically this would
be additional to the current ACTPS roles rather than instead of.
The Greens believe in government ownership of public assets and with the
exception of the possible consolidation of some office buildings do not plan on
selling any public assets.
Efficiency dividends are a crude mechanism to achieve savings. On the one
hand it does make sense to require agencies to continually look to be as
efficient as possible, however there is only so much that can be done. Certainly
across agencies things can always be improved but the Greens do not agree that
any agency can perpetually get more and more out of less and less. The Greens
have also been very concerned that efficiency dividends are appropriately
applied. For example, two years ago, the budget applied relatively large
efficiency dividends to small agencies such as the Human Rights Commission
because they are part of larger agencies, even though their operations are quite
separate. Where an efficiency dividend is used it must be very realistic about
what an agency can achieve, and appropriate to the particular circumstances of
the particular agency.
Q3 If elected, what is your party’s policy in relation to ACTPS staffing
levels? In particular do you intend to:
maintain current staffing levels
decrease staffing levels
increase staffing levels.
ACT Labor
The ACT Labor Government seeks to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of
staff, sufficiently remunerated, to deliver the high-quality services our
community expects and deserves.
Overall, the aim is to ensure that staffing levels grow sustainably to
maintain service standards in line with population and economic growth. ACT
Labor does not have a policy of large-scale job losses like those proposed by
the Federal Liberal Party or recently elected State Liberal Governments.
Indeed, the 2012-13 Budget sees modest overall growth in the size of the
ACTPS, which includes some growth in specific areas (such as health delivery)
offset by some reductions in other areas.
To the extent that there are staffing reductions identified in the Budget,
they are to be achieved through natural attrition and voluntary redundancies
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond. The letter does
state “Our public service, through better planning and management of its
functions and growth, will enjoy more certainty and stability, with no forced
redundancies because of policy changes.”
ACT Greens
The Greens have no intention to reduce overall staffing levels and as
indicated in previous answers recognise the important contribution that public
servants make.
There are currently a number of ACTPS employees on temporary contracts. After
the recent election in Queensland, the new LNP Government decided not to renew
any temporary contracts in the Queensland public service. Thousands of employees
lost their jobs and those who remain were put under on-going additional strain
to cover the workload.
Q4 Where work that is currently being done by staff on temporary contracts,
and those contracts expire but the work is continuing, is it your party’s
position that these temporary contracts will be renewed?
ACT Labor
Temporary employment arrangements offer sensible and necessary flexibility in
managing workloads across the year, especially in areas where there are seasonal
or cyclical peaks and troughs in demand. These are managed at the local level
(including in relation to decisions on renewal). The ACT Labor recognises the
uncertainty in such arrangements and consideration is given to longer term
engagements where that is appropriate.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond.
ACT Greens
The Greens have no intention of replicating what was done in Queensland.
Where the work is ongoing and consistent with the other Greens policies and
initiatives, those contracts would be renewed. The Greens have no intention of
imposing any blanket cut of that nature.
Q5 ACTPS workplaces are located across
Canberra’s Town Centres. Does your party have any plans to:
consolidate the ACTPS to fewer
workplaces
ensure that ACTPS workplaces are
represented across Canberra or
maintain the current location of ACTPS
workplaces?
ACT Labor
The ACT Labor Government is committed to accommodating our public service in
buildings which will:
maximise productivity and provide safe and professional workplaces for
the staff who serve our community;
meet our responsibility to the environment and our greenhouse gas
reduction targets; and
deliver the most financially responsible option for the Budget and ACT
taxpayers.
The immediate priority is the delivery of the Gungahlin Office Accommodation.
The ACT Labor Government is committed to stimulating the economic base of
Gungahlin by providing long term employment opportunities in the town centre.
The delivery of office accommodation will also be tested in the market. We
will welcome any proposal from industry that demonstrates that an adaptive reuse
of existing buildings or office precinct is a better environmental and economic
option.
The final decision on government accommodation will be based on the best
overall value to the ACT taxpayer. The best value will be based on build cost,
environmental performance, occupational health and safety for staff, running
costs and efficiencies to be gained from having key public servants in the same
location.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond.
ACT Greens
The Greens believe that there should be a government presence across the town
centres and have been strong supporters of the proposed Gungahlin office
project. Where it would be much more efficient for the Government to consolidate
and provide a higher standard of accommodation, the Greens would certainly
consider those options. We understand the importance of local employment across
town centres.
Q6 Do you agree that ACTPS employees should be covered by a comprehensive
Enterprise Agreement that covers fully their rights and entitlements?
ACT Labor
ACT Labor remains committed to enterprise bargaining as the principal means
by which to settle the terms and conditions of employment of employees of the
ACTPS. The ACTPS Enterprise Bargaining Agreements include as a matter of course
the National Statutory Employment Standards of the Commonwealth Fair Work Act
2009. ACT Labor recommits to maintaining both those minimum statutory
entitlements and improvements to those entitlements to which it has agreed in
regard to employees of the ACTPS.
The ACT Labor Government has always indicated a willingness to consider
further improvements to the terms and conditions of employment, including
entitlements, as part of negotiated settlements for the making of ACTPS
Enterprise Agreements.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond.
ACT Greens
Broadly speaking, yes.
Q7 Does your party support maintaining or improving existing statutory
rights and entitlements for ACT Public Servants?
ACT Labor
ACT Labor remains committed to enterprise bargaining as the principal means
by which to settle the terms and conditions of employment of employees of the
ACTPS. The ACTPS Enterprise Bargaining Agreements include as a matter of course
the National Statutory Employment Standards of the Commonwealth Fair Work Act
2009. ACT Labor recommits to maintaining both those minimum statutory
entitlements and improvements to those entitlements to which it has agreed in
regard to employees of the ACTPS.
The ACT Labor Government has always indicated a willingness to consider
further improvements to the terms and conditions of employment, including
entitlements, as part of negotiated settlements for the making of ACTPS
Enterprise Agreements.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond.
ACT Greens
The Green support workers rights and entitlements and believe that they
should be maintained.
Q8 What is your position regarding the ACT Government’s current wage
restraint policy which expects workers to accept wage increases that may be less
than the cost of living?
ACT Labor
Agencies within the ACTPS have wage commitments under their various
Enterprise Agreements, some of which expire in 2013. An ACT Labor Government
will enter into the negotiations seeking to provide a reasonable outcome for its
employees and to meet its business needs, but which must be framed within the
current budgetary context.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond.
ACT Greens
Public servant wages, like all wages and pensions, should keep pace with the
CPI.
Q9 What is your plan for improvements to the public transport system, and
increasing the availability of car parks in the town centres?
ACT Labor
The ACT Labor Government’s Transport for Canberra policy, released in March
2012, sets out a comprehensive plan to improve the public transport system over
time. Significant action to deliver Transport for Canberra is already underway:
the Belconnen to City Transitway
Canberra Avenue bus priority
an expanding network of six new park and ride and five new bike and ride
facilities, mainly along the Rapid services routes. Potential new sites for
park and ride are Canberra Avenue, Gungahlin Town Centre, Charnwood, Athllon
Drive Wanniassa and Yarra Glen Curtin, with potential bike and ride
facilities at Canberra Avenue, Wentworth Avenue, Gungahlin Town Centre,
Gundaroo Drive, Tuggeranong Town Centre, and Cooleman Court Weston Creek
expansion and increasing frequency of bus services, for instance the Red
Rapid service has been extended to Kippax
other Network 12 and 13 ongoing improvements to the bus system
consistent with Transport for Canberra policies
a Real Time Passenger Information System
City to Gungahlin Transit Corridor project which is examining rapid
transit options – light rail and bus rapid transit – as the first stage of a
wider rapid transit network.
Transport for Canberra aims to manage travel demand across the whole system,
which for town centres means considering all the ways that people can travel,
and managing parking supply to address the remaining demand. Features of the
policy include:
Prioritising short stay (less than four hours) parking in areas closest
to business and retail to encourage high turnover and support businesses
Reserving spaces for parents and carers who arrive in the city or town
centres after 9.30am
Improving parking availability for motorcycles and people with
disabilities • Introducing a parking offset fund in the city
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond. The letter states
that “We will make parking more convenient by installing credit card parking
machines”
ACT Greens
Improving Canberra’s public transport and building a better connected city is
one of the key goals of the Greens. We believe much more effort needs to be put
into creating a first class public transport system that is fast, flexible and
reliable, and allows households to not need a second car. In the Assembly over
the last four years, the Greens secured many important improvements such as new
and improved bus services (including the Red Rapid / 200 route that passes
through the Parliamentary Triangle), new park and ride facilities, and millions
of extra dollars given to bicycle paths and footpaths.
We believe that appropriate car parking needs to be provided, as many people
will continue to need to drive, and this needs to be carefully balanced as our
public transport options continue to grow. We understand that a demand
management approach to car parking is important and we recognise that our city
cannot just continue to grow its reliance on cars and roads.
Q10 What does your party plan to do to address the current pressures
experienced by workers in the Parliamentary precinct in regards to access to
parking, and the public transport system?
ACT Labor
The primary responsibility for land management and planning, including
parking in the Parliamentary Precinct, rests with the Australian Government and
its agencies such as the NCA.
The ACT Government is working cooperatively with the Australian Government to
consider options for better management of parking in the Barton-Forrest-Parkes
area.
The ACT Government has sold a block in Barton, south of Brisbane Avenue, for
a mixed use development, including a commercial car park, shops and residential
use. This is expected to add around 500 publicly available parking spaces to the
supply serving Barton.
Regarding public transport to the precinct, the ACT Labor Government has
introduced a Parliamentary Zone Frequent Network with buses travelling within,
to and from the Parliamentary zone every 15 minutes or better on weekdays 7am –
7pm.
The Blue Rapid Route provides buses every 5-8 minutes on weekdays between 7am
and 7pm between the town centres of Belconnen, City, Woden and Tuggeranong,
servicing Parkes, Barton, Russell and Campbell Park.
The Red Rapid 200 is a limited stop, high frequency service operation between
Gungahlin Market Place and DFO Fyshwick via Dickson, City, Russell, Barton and
Canberra Railway Station. This route operates every 15 minutes between 7am and
7pm Monday to Friday.
A range of frequent local services also travels through the Parliamentary
Zone all day.
Canberra Liberals
The Canberra Liberals letter does not specifically respond
ACT Greens
As mentioned above, we are very focused on achieving better public transport
and active transport outcomes for Canberra, and have already made significant
improvements in these areas. We will continue with a progressive and positive
agenda on transport and will be making announcements during the election
campaign. Our position on paid parking in the Parliamentary Triangle is that we
support paid parking in conjunction with the provision of improved public
transport.
