Showing posts with label NSW public sector job cuts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NSW public sector job cuts. Show all posts

Thursday 1 November 2012

So why did Grafton have to lose its gaol and the Clarence Valley economy take a hit when the O'Farrell Government's budget was in surplus by June 2012?

NSW Auditor-General’s Report to Parliament, 31 October 2012:
 
The 2011-12 Budget Result was a $680 million surplus, $1.4 billion better than expected.....

The Budget Result was $1.0 billion better than predicted in the 2012-13 Budget Papers published in June 2012.....

Total revenues and expenses for the whole-of-government were $71.3 billion and $69.6 billion respectively, resulting in a Net Operating Balance of $1.7 billion surplus....

The State had around $10.0 billion of cash and cash equivalents at 30 June 2012 ($11.8 billion). Most of the decrease was due to the transfer of $3.8 billion cash to the State’s superannuation investments. This cash was the proceeds from last year’s electricity transactions.

Total revenues, including revenue from taxation, grants and subsidies, sales of goods and services, interest, dividends and income tax equivalents, all increased in the year ending 30 June 2012. The State is fat with Commonwealth grants and subsidies, currently has over $300 billion in assets, mostly property, plant and equipment and still has a AAA international credit rating.
 
So why was it so urgent to suddenly close Grafton Gaol in June-July 2012 and put at least 100 local people out of work at short notice?
 
Ah, of course - O'Farrell & Co could get their sums right for the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Fund but couldn't add up when it came to the General Government Sector and decided to cry poor.

Since the announcement that the NSW Government now has a budgetary surplus, there have been two conflicting political untruths uttered:

When asked if restoring the Grafton jail to its former capacity was a possibility in light of the surplus, [NSW Deputy Premier] Mr Stoner said 'it was all in the mix.'

"It (the surplus) is not there. The underlying position of NSW remains in deficit," [NSW Treasurer] Mr Baird told reporters in Sydney on Wednesday.

UPDATE:

A third conflicting political untruth has been put forward by the NSW North Coast Nationals; Member for Clarence Chris Gulaptis said the billion-dollar surplus was merely the result of dodgy accounting on the part of the Federal Government.
"This billion-dollar surplus is just extra revenue the Commonwealth has brought forward," said Mr Gulaptis. "It is just a combination of stimulus funding and the Federal Government bolstering their position." 

Friday 5 October 2012

This Stoner-Gulaptis pea and thimble trick would be laughable if it didn't affect NSW North Coast families

 
It is good to see The Daily Examiner is not letting go of this subject:
 
There will be 41 clerical and administration positions for which the salary will be between $54,742 - $59,512.
The remaining four jobs will consist of leadership roles which will pay $82,000- $91,000 and $108,000 for the top job.
Even if the people who apply for these jobs negotiate their pay for the top figures suggested, the total value of this project in terms of wages for the Clarence Valley will be just over $2.9 million per year.
This figure is substantially less than the $9 million in wages the Valley lost when the State Government down-scaled the jail and a far cry from fulfilling Mr Stoner's famous claim to an ABC journalist that his Government would leave Grafton better off in terms of public service jobs.
None of these jobs will involve contracts longer than three years, said a spokesman from the department of Crown Lands……

These Crown Land Division public service positions were first advertised at Jobs NSW on 2 October 2012 and applications close on 14 October 2012.

Only 43 of the 45 mentioned appear to be Grafton-based - the remaining two are at Newcastle.

None seem to have been advertised in Clarence Valley media and, as the Crown Lands office in Grafton was already marked by O'Farrell's razor gang to lose seven permanent positions and another twenty may also be affected, one has to wonder if all these jobs Stoner is talking about are actually being filled internally within the department and therefore will not be available to the one hundred or so people made redundant as a result of the Grafton Gaol closure.

Click on image to enlarge
 

Thursday 23 August 2012

Looking back with hollow laughter as Bazza's razor gang wields the blade on NSW North Coast communities


As around 150 former Grafton public servants ponder their futures, Clarence Valley voters might recall this....

The Daily Examiner on 15th October 2004
“THE State Opposition yesterday called on the Carr Government to guarantee the jobs of Grafton jail staff.
Opposition justice and emergency services spokesman Andrew Humpherson voiced concern for jail jobs during a visit to the correctional centre with the Nationals Member for Clarence Steve Cansdell.”

The Daily Examiner on 26th December 2006

"PUBLIC sector jobs in regional areas will be safe under NSW Opposition Leader Peter Debnam's plans to trim down the Labor Government's 'bureaucratic empire', says Clarence MP Steve Cansdell.
Mr Cansdell made the promise after hearing Clarence Labor candidate Mark Kingsley's criticisms of the State Opposition's plans to cut thousands of NSW public service jobs."

Thursday 26 July 2012

Recapping a telling political timeline....



Sometime between March and April 2012 the NSW Liberal-Nationals Government formalised its decision to close Grafton Gaol and leave a 60-bed remand centre in its place.
On 15th May Nationals MP for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, addressed Clarence Valley Council and “gave an update on general NSW Government issues”. His presentation was on: gazettal of Clarence Valley Council’s LEP, new legislation regarding the dual role of councillors who are also members of the NSW State Government, plans for councils to be given the capacity to do spot rezoning, Community Building Partnerships projects, completion of Iluka sewerage facility, $70M Local Infrastructure renewal scheme, legislation for councils to jointly manage libraries, $7000 relocation grant, Destination 2036 and the planned review of the Local Government Act – not a word about severe job cuts in the Valley's only city.
By 8th June it was known that the state government was planning to cut an estimated 10,000 public service jobs.
On 27th June the Clarence Valley learnt that Grafton Gaol positions were to be among those public service jobs axed and Gulaptis admitted that he was actively involved in the so-called restructuring.

After long and careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that any assurance/promise/undertaking that Chris Gulaptis MP gives is....

Friday 20 July 2012

O'Farrell, Stoner and Gulaptis to cut new Grafton Remand Centre staffing numbers


After closing Grafton Gaol ealier this month and removing prisioners, the notorious cost-cutting threesome NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell, Deputy-Premier and National Party Leader Andrew Stoner and Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis have decided to reduce the new remand centre staffing numbers to just twenty-eight positions.


Disgusted Clarence Valley voters are now waiting for the other shoe to drop with an announcement that this remand centre will be privatised.