Page 848 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
(a) no cost-benefit analysis has been released by the Federal Liberal-National Government regarding the forced relocation of the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and no commitment has been given that it will release such analysis for any future relocation;
(b) the continued lack of detail about the Commonwealth Government’s inquiry into the decentralisation of the public service, creating uncertainty for government departments and staff;
(c) the decentralisation of significant components of the Australian Public Service out of the ACT will have devastating consequences for Canberra’s and Australia’s economic, social and cultural fabric, including:
(i) increasing investment uncertainty and undermining continued economic growth;
(ii) significantly reducing activity in town centres, impacting on small businesses and local communities;
(iii) disrupting the lives of Canberrans whose familial, social and work networks are firmly established in the ACT; and
(iv) jeopardising the efficiency and expertise of the Australian Public Service; and
(5) calls on this Assembly to continue to:
(a) condemn the Federal Government’s policy of decentralisation, which has served as a pork-barrelling exercise that has risked and continues to risk undermining the ability of public sector staff to carry out their jobs effectively;
(b) use all tools at its disposal, including public advocacy, representation at local and national forums, and tri-partisan action with other political parties as appropriate, to protect and support Canberra’s public sector workers;
(c) seek Commonwealth Government recognition of Canberra as the appropriate home of the Australian Public Service, and a reversal of its policy of forced public sector relocation from Canberra to regional towns and centres around Australia; and
(d) vigorously refute attacks on Canberra public sector workers’ collective integrity, work ethic, and service to the wider Australian community.
Madam Assistant Speaker, here we are again. It is another period of having to stand up in this place to defend our citizens, our community, against the federal government’s short-sighted pork-barrelling, another period of uncertainty as our federal public servants continue to be treated like pawns on a chessboard. Will they move them? Won’t they move them? It is anyone’s guess.
But it is not a game, Madam Assistant Speaker. These are public servants who serve our country through sheer hard work, public servants who bring a diversity of experience and skills to their workplaces, public servants just trying to get on with it. More than that; they are people. They are members of our tight-knit community here in the ACT. They are the umpires of kids’ footy. They are the parents working at the fetes. They are neighbours, friends and family members, and they are easy targets.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video