Mr GUNNER - 2012-05-03
Can you please update the House on what Budget 2012-13 means for Northern Territory public service jobs? Are you aware of any alternative policies?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. There are approximately 19 000 public servants in the Northern Territory Public Service. Within our budget - although we have maintained staff caps - we have given assurance there will be no staff cuts. We only have to look interstate to see what has happened there with conservative governments: Mr Baillieu in Victoria - 4200 to be sacked; Mr O’Farrell in New South Wales – 5000; Joe Hockey, if they are elected federally – 12 000; and heaven knows how many Cameron Newman might sack once he has completed his deliberations.
We also know the CLP has its written policy, its platform from 2008 which it has not changed, which talks about cutting 700 jobs in the Northern Territory Public Service. It was interesting to hear a quite audacious statement by the Opposition Leader yesterday when he said:
In the old parlance it was AO8 officers, now it is SAO1s - will be earning $110 000. Quite a few people earn $110 000. The Leader of the Opposition clarified yesterday what he had said about frontline staff in Education, Health and Police. In the Education portfolio there are quite a few people. I am interested in who he defines as frontline staff: literacy and numeracy support people; curriculum support; those who support teacher development; early childhood development specialists; school infrastructure and construction staff; and a whole range of other positions that support frontline staff in training such as mental health, child protection, health and physical education, special education and positive behaviour.
I am interested to hear the Opposition Leader’s definition of frontline staff. Moreover, I was very interested to hear he could not give a similar guarantee to other highly-rewarded senior executives. He said he knew who they were, so he has a hit list. He said:
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. There are approximately 19 000 public servants in the Northern Territory Public Service. Within our budget - although we have maintained staff caps - we have given assurance there will be no staff cuts. We only have to look interstate to see what has happened there with conservative governments: Mr Baillieu in Victoria - 4200 to be sacked; Mr O’Farrell in New South Wales – 5000; Joe Hockey, if they are elected federally – 12 000; and heaven knows how many Cameron Newman might sack once he has completed his deliberations.
We also know the CLP has its written policy, its platform from 2008 which it has not changed, which talks about cutting 700 jobs in the Northern Territory Public Service. It was interesting to hear a quite audacious statement by the Opposition Leader yesterday when he said:
- I will personally ensure no pay or conditions will be eroded, or any compulsory redundancy visited upon any public servant earning $110 000 or less.
In the old parlance it was AO8 officers, now it is SAO1s - will be earning $110 000. Quite a few people earn $110 000. The Leader of the Opposition clarified yesterday what he had said about frontline staff in Education, Health and Police. In the Education portfolio there are quite a few people. I am interested in who he defines as frontline staff: literacy and numeracy support people; curriculum support; those who support teacher development; early childhood development specialists; school infrastructure and construction staff; and a whole range of other positions that support frontline staff in training such as mental health, child protection, health and physical education, special education and positive behaviour.
I am interested to hear the Opposition Leader’s definition of frontline staff. Moreover, I was very interested to hear he could not give a similar guarantee to other highly-rewarded senior executives. He said he knew who they were, so he has a hit list. He said:
- In fact, I am aware of senior managers who are well and truly ready to accept greater responsibility in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016