News Flash

The PSA has this morning urgently followed up on a story in today's Australian newspaper that the Premier has flagged more job cuts.

While last week's Mid Year Budget Review (MYBR) did not announce further cuts, today's article quotes the Premier as saying "we want to try and achieve cuts without dispute, but if there are changes which are essential to preserve the public finances that bring us into conflict with people then we have to hold our ground."

PSA sought an immediate response from the Premier.

The Premier's office has this morning advised the PSA:

"The Premier's remarks quoted in the Australian today were addressing a circumstance which was put to him, namely that conditions in Europe deteriorated even further than we anticipate and that that had a flow on effect on the state's finances. In those circumstances the government would need to look at public sector costs. But we are not currently facing those circumstances."

The Public Sector remains overstretched in the face of population growth, as evidenced by high workloads and reductions of vital services, and the PSA will continue to monitor the situation to ensure proper staffing levels.

The PSA has always maintained that job cuts = service cuts and it is the community and ordinary South Australian families who will suffer.

23 December 2011