STAFF at Orange’s Department of Primary Industries headquarters say morale at the organisation is the lowest it has ever been.
Workers at a launch of a union campaign against job cuts yesterday said staff were “petrified” of losing their jobs, following reports 25 per cent of DPI positions could be slashed in next week’s budget.
The Public Service Association of NSW yesterday launched its campaign against redundancies in the department, issuing the first of its “Lost DPI dollars” to Orange DPI workers.
The notes, which say - $50 and feature Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner’s face, will be given to Orange businesses to show the impact forced redundancies could have on the city’s economy.
“I’ve been in the public service for 35 years, I’ve worked under several governments, and this is the worst I have seen morale,” DPI health and safety coordinator, and PSA Orange head office vice-chair, Mark Williamson said.
“Staff are petrified of losing their jobs, because the present government isn’t talking to staff or the unions.”
Nationals MP Katrina Hodgkinson said restoring morale in the DPI was one of her goals when she visited Orange after being named Primary Industries Minister.
Yesterday, Ms Hodgkinson would not rule out further job cuts when the budget is announced next Tuesday.
PSA assistant general secretary Shane O’Brien said cuts of 25 per cent would equate to approximately 113 jobs in Orange and $12 million in lost income.
“It’s a greater loss of jobs per capita than what we’re seeing at BlueScope Steel in Wollongong and that’s grabbing national attention,” he said.
Mr O’Brien said if the 25 per cent figure was correct, the Coalition would cut more DPI jobs in a single budget than previous Labor governments had cut in eight budgets.
“What we’re trying to do is get the National Party to stand up for country economies - they did it in opposition,” he said.
“They said they would make the DPI a priority, but we didn’t think that would mean the priority agency for job losses.”
Speaking at yesterday’s campaign launch, opposition primary industries spokesman Steve Whan said the government should follow through on its election promise and rule out any further job cuts before the budget is announced next week.
“I didn’t stand on the front steps of this building and guarantee there wouldn’t be cuts,” he said.
“It’s quite clear from talking to people here that there’s no information being provided to employees, which is very concerning.
“We want them to rule out cuts now - even if they’re not going to be 25 per cent, we need to say we will not accept a broken promise full stop.”
Member for Orange Andrew Gee said he had made his opposition to any job cuts clear to his Liberal and National Party colleagues.
However, he criticised Mr Whan for “scaremongering”.
“The Minister has already come out and said that the figures being bandied about are false and that the rest is pure speculation,” he said.
“We’ll know what happens on September 6.”
Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson reiterated her previous statements, saying she would not speculate on what would be in the budget.
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