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Federal Election 2010: PS policy positions at a glance

3 August 2010, 10:32am

With less than three weeks to go and at least 12,000 APS jobs on the line, CPSU members looking carefully at what the major parties are offering.

We have put together a quick chart that compares the public sector policies of the parties most likely to form Government. We have also sought short statements from the Liberal Party, the ALP and the Greens outling their main aims in relation to the issues that matter to CPSU members.

In their own words

Prime Minister, Julia Gillard (ALP)
"A strong and responsible Government improving and protecting the essential public services and basic rights our people depend on, including so importantly, their rights at work." (Canberra Press Conference, 24 June 2010).

Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott (Liberal Party)
"We are going to trim the public service by 12,000." (CEDA conference, 22 June) "Not since the era of Fightback under John Hewson has an opposition been prepared to nominate hard cuts to, for instance, public servant numbers." (Macquarie Radio, 29 June 2010).

At a glance

Key CPSU issues	Coalition position	Labor position
APS Staffing Levels	12,000 job cuts over 2 years more job losses expected as a result of $45.8b ‘savings’ and program cuts	no change to overall APS employment
Moran Review / APS Reform Blueprint	discontinue Blueprint, no further details	support Blueprint plan to build strong APS with a unified workforce
Workplace Relations	fewer rights for members and delegates possible return to WorkChoices style arrangements	support role of unions and delegates support streamlining of APS bargaining acknowledge the need to fix APS pay gaps
Medibank Private	sell off	keep in public ownership
Funding / Efficiency Dividend	$3.8 billion cut to PS funding, position on efficiency dividend unknown position on IT contractors and IT infrastructure spending unknown	maintain efficiency dividend at 1.25% remove the quarantining of $447.5 million ICT spending through Gershon reforms
Superannuation	no increase in employer contribution	increase employer contribution: 9% to 12%
Journey Cover	oppose reintroduction of recess and journey cover	commitment to reinstate recess coverage no commitment on journey cover

Statements from major parties

To ensure all CPSU members in the public sector can make an informed choice in the 2010 Federal Election, we invited the major parties to provide a brief statement outlining their public sector policies.

Liberal / Nat

ALP

Greens

NO STATEMENT PROVIDED

Despite several emails and phone calls from the CPSU to the Liberal Party over the last week, no statement has been provided.

Federal Labor recognises the enormous efforts of the Australian Public Service and the critical role public servants play in moving Australia forward.

As technology improves access to government, including the public service and elected representatives, there are increasing demands for greater accountability.

Our challenge is to ensure the long-term planning is in place to respond to those demands and develop our workforce.

A Gillard Labor Government is committed to ensuring that the APS is a model employer when it comes to employment conditions, opportunities for advancement and lifelong learning.

We know there is more work to be done to reform the federal public sector, including its workplace relations.

There are a number of initiatives already underway to look at these issues, including the Advisory Group on Reform of Australian Government Administration. The Advisory Group's draft blueprint for reform has been delivered to Government.

The task of developing a framework for ongoing reform and renewal of the APS is aligned with our commitment to ensure the principles of fair work are reflected in its workplace relations arrangements.

I have said in the past that Federal Labor is interested in streamlining current APS bargaining arrangements.

If elected, we would consider this in conjunction with the broader public service reform agenda and would work closely with the CPSU and other public sector unions to achieve the ultimate goal of a more efficient and dynamic public sector.

A Gillard Labor Government has no agenda or plan to cut overall public service numbers.

In contrast, the Coalition's ill-considered plan to cut 12,000 staff and $3.8 billion from the public service would jeopardise services and threaten APS reform.

Julia Gillard
Prime Minister

More information is available at http://www.labor.org.au/

The Australian Greens value public servants and the work they do.

We are committed to maintaining APS staffing levels and oppose the Coalition's proposed cutbacks.

We understand that job cutbacks will lead to a decrease in the quality of services for the public and that demand for well-informed public policy doesn't reduce if jobs are cut - it increases the workload for existing public servants.

The Greens consistently and vigorously opposed Work Choices and we were pleased to have played our part in ensuring the passage of the Fair Work legislation.

We secured important improvements to the Fair Work Bill but we know there is more to do to fully restore the rights of workers and unions, in particular strengthening the rights of delegates.

We remain committed to improving the Fair Work Act in next parliament.

We are already on the record supporting the increase in the compulsory superannuation contribution to 12% and to index Commonwealth superannuation pensions to wages rather than CPI.

We support APS-wide bargaining and implementing the Moran recommendations in consultation with the union.

The Greens opposed the removal of journey cover by the last government and support its reinstatement.

A strong Green presence in the Senate is necessary for progressive workplace laws and other policies to become a reality.

Our full set of policies, including our positions on education, health, aged care, refugees, social services, climate change and the environment can be found at http://www.greens.org.au/

Senator Rachael Siewert
Greens IR and APS spokesperson

Vote for essential public services

As a CPSU member, you understand how important the public sector is. Every day, you and your workmates care for families, secure our borders, develop public policy and provide valuable advice to the Federal Government. But with continuing uncertainty about the global economy, Australia needs a strong and stable public sector. The outcome of this election will have a profound effect on the shape, size and direction of the Australian Public Service. Please consider your vote carefully.

CPSU action

Over the coming weeks, CPSU Executive and delegates will continue to meet with local MPs and candidates to explain our view on a range of issues, including the need for:

proper funding for public services and jobs including ABC, SBS and CSIRO
a better way to bargain for pay and conditions across the APS
restoration of fair workers’ compensation rights
access and training for workplace delegates.

What you can do

Share this information with workmates, family and friends.
Learn more about what parties are proposing for the public sector here.
Contact us to get involved in local activities at – rights@cpsu.org.au or call 1300 137 636.

Comments (40)

Posted by: Stuart - 16 Aug 2010, 4:57pm
Dear Caz, "No wonder private sector businesses run far more effectively and efficiently...they wouldn't be able to afford the cost of the wages and infrastructure to the level of such excessive misuse of public money within the public sector." Exemplified by Telstra's Sol Trujillo's salary, the company's woeful customer service record largely due to the appalling treatment of staff by their management? Or perhaps the Hardly Ferocious company's wonderfully efficient and effective treatment of victims of asbestosis? Or maybe the finance and banking sectors that were responsible for the Global Financial Crisis that always seems able to scrape together enough money to give what many would label obscene salaries and bonuses to its CEOs and execs while their staff are cut and customers slugged. Apparently a few oil and shipping companies have also wasted a few barrels of oil over the years, including BP recently. Waste and inefficiency is not confined to any particular sector, and I'm sure most people have experienced both good and bad service, waste, and inefficiency in all of them. The real problem is the growing disparity in salaries between top and bottom for no good reason. This means that inflation is increasingly driven by the haves while the have nots have little choice but to tighten the belt another notch, and I'd wager that the Liberals would want this to continue.

Posted by: Chris - 11 Aug 2010, 12:11pm
I agree with recent post by Stuart. I am so dismayed that Australians seem to be prepared to let the Liberals even get a chance at running this great country again. The rich get richer and we true Aussies suffer. If I did not have hope in my fellow Aussies I too would want to leave if the Liberals get in.

Posted by: Geoff T - 11 Aug 2010, 10:06am
And Senator Barnaby Joyce lets the cat out of the bag on Lateline (9/8/2010) - not just attrition but redundancies as well: ..."And these are the sort of issues we've been honest with people, we've said certain positions in the public service, as they retire, become redundant, we have try and reduce them."

Posted by: fuston - 9 Aug 2010, 10:09am
so, people are worried about thier jobs. Its interesting that they are so ready to believe labor, when Gillard as head of DEEWR intitiated a round of job cuts, using that old nasty method of a spill, where everyone has to re-apply for thier old job.

Posted by: Gary - 9 Aug 2010, 9:51am
I agree with 'stressed and unhappy - 5 Aug 2010', I have been a public servant for 32 years and the thought of returning to a coalition led government again is too much to bear. They ran the public service as a 'business' and instilled fear and a 'dog eat dog' mentality in our workplaces. They decimated our union numbers because workers were too scared to be identified as belonging to a union. Mr Rabbit says he has cremated work cboices. I don't believe him for a second. I too would contemplate leaving the country if the libs get in.

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