Unions launch ACT radio ads as Lib job cut fears deepen

Union ads target Libs on PS jobs

This article was originally published in the Canberra Times

Two of the territory's biggest unions will launch new attack radio advertising tonight targeting the Canberra Liberals over public service job cuts.

The Community and Public Sector Union and the Construction, Mining, Forestry and Energy Union ads urge voters in the ACT election to ''vote for a party that protects jobs''.

The four advertisements follow comments by Liberals frontbencher Vicki Dunne last week, which the CPSU claimed revealed ''an intent'' to cut jobs and outsource frontline functions in the Community Services Directorate that employs about 750 public servants.

CPSU ACT regional director Vince McDevitt said ACT public servants were worried about their jobs, despite assurances from Opposition Leader Zed Seselja that a Canberra Liberals government would be ''hiring not firing''.

''Our ads are directed at public servants and the CPSU ads recognise that this is a public sector town and cuts to the public sector hurt everyone,'' he said.

''What we're trying to get across is public servants matter.

''If you hack into half your workforce everyone's going to feel it.''

CFMEU ACT branch secretary Dean Hall said cuts to the territory's public service would ''destroy the economy'' in the ACT.

''Without a strong and confident public service we don't have confidence in apartment building, housing building, other major construction projects like office building, schools and hospitals,'' he said. ''The reason we're going after the Liberals is this is in their blood, it's in their DNA.

''Everywhere else they promised not to do it. They promised not to do it in NSW, they promised not to do it in Queensland. No matter what they're saying, they can't be trusted.''

Listen to the radio ads here:

• CPSU 1
• CPSU 2 
• CFMEU 1
• CFMEU 2