The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has tonight welcomed the Albanese Labor Government’s ongoing commitment to rebuilding the capability and capacity of the Australian Public Service (APS).
This budget will deliver an additional 17,289 public sector jobs and ensure ongoing funding for the recent jobs increase at Services Australia.
The increase in public service roles and reduction in wasteful outsourcing will see more people in secure jobs, ensuring the delivery of better public services for Australians right across the country.
The budget also contains several other significant commitments championed by the CPSU, including investment to progress employment services reform and investment in climate change policy including in the Australian Antarctic Division.
Under the former Coalition Government, public sector cuts and outsourcing compromised public services and wasted taxpayer dollars.
The CPSU is pleased to see the government continuing to address these outsourcing arrangements by converting almost 9,000 employees, who already doing public sector work, across into secure, transparent and accountable public service roles.
Rebuilding our country’s public services was always going to require investment in public sector capacity across multiple budgets. This budget builds on the work of previous years and will deliver better outcomes for people across the country.
Quotes attributable to Melissa Donnelly, CPSU National Secretary:
“This budget is good news for the millions of Australians who rely on public services every day.
“The announcement of more than 17,000 new secure, transparent and accountable public service jobs, including the conversion of almost 9,000 labour hire employees, will go a long way in continuing the work of rebuilding our public services.
“If you are an Australian with disability, if you have just had a baby or are seeking support as a student, if you’re a pensioner waiting for a claim to be approved or a veteran seeking assistance – the ongoing investment in public services announced tonight will make it easier for you to get the help you need when you need it.
“We are already seeing the positive impact of increased investment in public services.
“In Services Australia, the additional staff are getting to work addressing the backlog and claims are being processed more quickly. This will only continue to improve as the impact of new staff is felt.
“For veterans who saw their claims lost in a backlog of more than 41,000, this means they’ll be better able to get the support and help they need.
“The former Government attacked our country’s public services for a decade, making it harder and harder for people to get help when they needed it.
“The CPSU is pleased to see this government undoing the damage of the Coalition, and delivering Australians the public services they need and deserve."