As CPSU members, you told us what mattered to you, you lobbied and you put pressure on Labor who then went to the election with strong workplace relations and secure jobs policies that will improve the APS.

I am excited that after years of some of the harshest conditions we’ve seen, there is likely to be reprise for members at Home Affairs. We must continue to campaign and build our union so we can ensure the great commitments we secured are delivered. No matter who is in government, you need to be in your union.

We want to come to your workplace ASAP. Get in touch to help set up a meeting in your workplace, we can’t wait to see you!

Home Affairs members have arguably done it the toughest under the Coalition. Delivering these commitments is going to change the APS and Home Affairs for the better. These changes will be driven by hard-working CPSU members who have never stopped fighting at the workplace level.

We’re currently dealing with some unknowns, such as not yet having a Minister appointed, but this will be settled early next week. Despite this, many are breathing a sigh of relief, celebrating and looking forward to some real positive changes in workplaces.

We’d love to chat with you about what you think this might mean for you and your work. Let us know when is a good time to come visit!

Just a reminder, the Labor Government committed to:

• Supporting meaningful increases in minimum wages and lifting wages caps.
• Engaging in genuine bargaining with public sector workers for real wage rises which will help drive wages growth across the economy.
• Abolishing the Coalition Government’s arbitrary staffing cap (ASL cap) allowing agencies to hire staff directly instead of through expensive labour hire arrangements which cost taxpayers more and pay workers less.
• Enshrining secure work as an objective of the Fair Work Act for all workers and making ‘same job, same pay’ law.
• Reducing wasteful spending on external consultants and labour hire firms.
• Conducting an audit of insecure employment across the APS and taking steps to create more secure employment where temporary forms of work are being used inappropriately. This will include converting labour hire, casual or contract roles into ongoing APS jobs.
• Reinvesting nearly $500 million as part of the first phase of rebuilding capability in the public service – including 1,080 new secure frontline service delivery jobs at Services Australia, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the National Disability Insurance Agency which will improve the delivery of services to Australians.
• Tackling climate change and achieving net zero APS emissions by 2030.

Now it’s up to all of us to hold them to it!

Brooke Muscat, Deputy National President