Issue No 5 | 19 March 1999 | |
News100 Reasons Why Public Sector Unionism Will Survive
Premier Bob Carr has reaffirmed his commitment to an independent public service as the Public Service Association celebrates its centenary year.
Addressing the PSA, Mr Carr said the public service's provision of fearless and independent advice was a central component of effective government. "The role of the public service has always been to tender objective advice to the government of the day," he said. "The tradition of independent career public servants is integral to the Westminster system of government. It is one that I support" Mr Carr said the government had shown its commitment to the public service with the creation of 1400 extra permanent employees and the successful completion of pay negotiations last year. PSA president Maurie O'Sullivan said the Carr Government had played an important role in restoring the public service after it was attacked by successive Coalition governments between 1988 and 1995. "The sad thing is that for a succession of years from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s, you were made to feel unwanted and value-less," he said. "In that period there was a very clear and concerted campaign to demoralise the public service and to convince the world that "private is best"." O'Sullivan contrasted the consultative attitude of the Carr Government with that of its predecessor, which did not meet the PSA once in its time in power. He said the contrast between the Coalition and Labor had been marked: "we have a relationship which is sometimes a bit undulating, indeed last year, at one time it got quite stormy, reality is that the communication we have with ministers and with senior bureaucrats does exist. "The relationship with the previous two state governments was zilch. It was irretrievable from day one." "With the previous government the relationship was irretrievable from Day One." While the PSA is not affiliated to any political party, O'Sullivan said he was strongly endorsing a vote for Labor on March 27.
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Interview: Towards An Information International FIET general secretary Phillip Jennings talks about the development of the Union Network International and its potential to organise globally. Unions: The Integral Price of Loyalty Workers at Integral Energy are asking for their share of the fruits of power reform. History: A Very Public History Historian Ray Markey and Public Service Association General Secretary Janet Good take a look at the union�s first 100 years. Review: Bullworth - Beatty�s Political Rap Warren Beatty makes some gutsy calls in his new film about a politician who, when all else fails, tries the truth. Campaign Diary: The Ultimate Punt As the leaders slug it through the final weeks of the campaign, the armchair critics get their chance to work their pet election theories.
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