Ms LAWRIE - 2012-11-29
Two days before the election in a Sky News debate twice you said, ‘No public service jobs will go’. A week later you started sacking public servants. Will you guarantee no public servants will lose their jobs as a result of your mini-budget on Tuesday?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the position which was clearly presented to the Territory community was there is a need to manage our affairs well but, at the same time, to show support for our hard-working public service.
No frontline public servant has any concern from this government. Our objective is to ensure there is a clean line of sight from the CE’s position to the quality of service delivery.
There are a number of contract positions that, as the opportunity comes for reconsideration of renewal through continuation of funding - whether it be sourced from the Commonwealth or we can make internal arrangements - provides us with the opportunity either to continue if that will strengthen frontline service, or not. To not continue could mean the non-renewal of a contract; it is as simple as that.
If that contract position is not renewed, it is not a reflection on whether that person has made a quality contribution or not. We recognise there is quality contribution and will do all we can to provide opportunity for that person to continue service.
Permanent public servants have nothing to be concerned about. We have provided moves to permanency as far as we possibly can. You full well know - and your predecessor well knew but was never able to make the difficult decisions to ensure we provided well-resourced, strong leadership and focus to the public service.
Consequently, the reality is some contracts will not be renewed because there was no forward provision of funding. Some of the funding streams cease because they come from Commonwealth programs and provide us the opportunity and circumstances where difficult decisions have to be made.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the position which was clearly presented to the Territory community was there is a need to manage our affairs well but, at the same time, to show support for our hard-working public service.
No frontline public servant has any concern from this government. Our objective is to ensure there is a clean line of sight from the CE’s position to the quality of service delivery.
There are a number of contract positions that, as the opportunity comes for reconsideration of renewal through continuation of funding - whether it be sourced from the Commonwealth or we can make internal arrangements - provides us with the opportunity either to continue if that will strengthen frontline service, or not. To not continue could mean the non-renewal of a contract; it is as simple as that.
If that contract position is not renewed, it is not a reflection on whether that person has made a quality contribution or not. We recognise there is quality contribution and will do all we can to provide opportunity for that person to continue service.
Permanent public servants have nothing to be concerned about. We have provided moves to permanency as far as we possibly can. You full well know - and your predecessor well knew but was never able to make the difficult decisions to ensure we provided well-resourced, strong leadership and focus to the public service.
Consequently, the reality is some contracts will not be renewed because there was no forward provision of funding. Some of the funding streams cease because they come from Commonwealth programs and provide us the opportunity and circumstances where difficult decisions have to be made.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016