PSA Media Release

3 May 2012 - For Immediate Use

Corrections Department restructure will push more people into the dole queue

The PSA says on a day of a big jump in unemployment levels, it’s disappointing to see a Corrections Department proposal which will result in even more job cuts in the public sector.

The Corrections Department has released a restructuring proposal which will bring together its three service arms – prisons, rehabilitation and probation. It could result in the loss of as many as 140 management and support staff positions.

The PSA is the largest union in the Corrections Department.

PSA National Secretary Richard Wagstaff says the number of job cuts in the public service continues to rise along with the level of unemployment, which today increased to 6.7%.

“What we are seeing through these restructurings is forced redundancies by the government. We can’t just sit by and watch another 140 jobs go. We need to ensure that the Department is exploring all its options for redeployment for these people whose jobs will be affected”.

He says “the acid test will also be whether the stated aims of this restructure actually result in better integration and streamlining within Corrections which ultimately affects the running of our prisons and the management of offenders”.

“Any savings made must be invested back in the Department otherwise it will be clear that this restructure is simply part of government public service budget cuts which are stripping away vital public services”.

“Now is not the time for the government to be axing good public sector jobs to create more casual low quality jobs in private prisons,” he says.

The PSA says the consultation period and implementation period is very short but it will be making a submission on the proposals and supporting affected Department staff.
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