
Issue No 16		04 June 1999

News

Political Payback: NSW Targetted in Costello Cuts

By Dermot Browne

The Howard Government's job cuts in it's first three years in office were heavily weighted against NSW -- the only state to have a Labor Government for the entire period of conservative rule.


	CPSU Branch Secretary Mal Larsen continuing the fight against public sector job cuts

The Community and Public Sector Union says Bureau of Statistics figures show that since 1996, the Howard government has cut 93,900 Commonwealth public sector jobs nationally.

Thirty seven per cent of these job cuts occurred in NSW, despite the fact that NSW now has only 28% of all Commonwealth public sector jobs.

In 1996 NSW had 107,000 of all Commonwealth public sector jobs. At the end of 1998 that figure had fallen to 72,600.

CPSU NSW Branch Secretary Malcolm Larsen said "This is a sickening set of numbers. Like others in the community we are appalled at any job losses, but one really has to question why NSW is being singled out for extra attention."

The cuts have occurred in every Commonwealth agency with the Department of Employment Education and Training, Centrelink, Health, the Tax Office and the ABC suffering the largest cuts.

"What this heartless government still refuses to learn is that these job losses hurt everyone. No only do they hurt the staff who lose their jobs, they also have a negative flow-on effect to the rest of the community, particularly in regional NSW.

"When half a dozen jobs are taken out of a community like Belmont, Warrawong or Lismore, the effects can be far reaching. The local economy is deprived of that income and competition for local jobs becomes even harder." said Mr Larsen.

The CPSU is continuing to work with local community groups to oppose these cuts. For more information contact the CPSU's NSW Branch on 02 9364 3600.

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Issue 16 contents

Interview: Opening Australia
Lindsay Tanner talks about new ideas, new policy and new politics in the Information Age.

Unions: An Educated Fightback
A visiting US trade unionist reveals how training better union delegates is the key to reversing the membership slide.

Legal: A Fair Case for Free-Rider Laws
The proposal to enable unions to charge non-members a service fee for negotiating enterprise agreements is consistent with the principle of freedom of association.

History: New Ideas in Labour History
See the latest from the May issue of Labour History, A Journal of Labour and Social History.

International: Tiananmen Square Ten Years On
We remember the massacre and the role that working people continue to play in fighting injustice.

Review: Organising Our Future - What Use the US??
A new paper looks at what Australian unions can learn from the experiences of their American colleagues.

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» Labor Hire Cowboys - the NFF Link

» Murder Call: Charge Bosses Who Kill

» Braddy Bunch to Lift Contractor Veil

» Rural Redundacies - Redeployment Confusion Reigns

» Woolies Shopfitters Win Back Jobs From Body Hire

» Political Payback: NSW Targetted in Costello Cuts

» Rio Tinto Buries the Truth

» Child Care Campaign out of the Blocks

» East Timor Mercy Ship heads for Dili

» Fabian Society Reforms

» Industrial Whoďż˝s Who Head for Geneva