Today Scott Morrison rejected the government's own report which called for the lifting of the Average Staffing Level (ASL) cap, reinvestment from the efficiency dividend, and common core conditions and pay across the public service.
The Thodey Report into the public service joins the mounting pressure on the Morrison Government to act on severe service shortages by lifting the ASL cap and reinvesting in public service capabilities from the efficiency dividend.
The report also calls for common pay and conditions across the public service allowing smoother transitions during machinery of government changes. The CPSU welcomes the recommendations from the report and has been relentlessly advocating for these APS wide conditions to be implemented.
The Government received this report months ago but flaunted its disregard for it just last week by slashing departments and creating mega-departments. These changes are a timely reminder as to why common pay and conditions are needed.
As stated by Melissa Donnelly, National Secretary CPSU:
"What we have seen today is the government's own report join the many calls to lift the Average Staffing Level Cap and fix the broken public sector funding model. This is but one of many recommendations the Morrison Government has rejected."
"We know that since 2013 18,908 or 11.4% of public service jobs have been cut under successive Liberal Governments, causing enormous damage to the capacity of the Commonwealth to deliver policy and essential services that all Australians rely upon. It's time for the government to invest in the services it keep promising Australians. "
"All we have seen from the government today is $15.1 million for the Secretaries Board. That won't go any way increasing access to services. It won't answer the millions of unanswered calls to Centrelink, or help the community get to the bottom of their illegal Robodebt, and it won't help us meet our climate targets."
"The Morrison Government is not serious about bargaining with the public service, and what we have seen today is the Prime Minister reject his own report's finding that the APS needs better conditions."
"A good government would lift the ASL cap and invest in the services Australians need. But Scott Morrison continues to disregard expert findings and chase short term budget wins instead of delivering on his election promises."
