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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-25 Daily Xml
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SHARED SERVICES

Ms BREUER (Giles) (15:28): I want to speak today about the proposed shared services reform. A number of comments were made in this place yesterday as a result of questions asked of the minister. Also, comments by the member for Flinders related to shared services reform, and this morning I became aware of a number of media reports regarding this issue. As a country member, I do have concerns about this. When I was first told about it I was horrified, I have to say, because I was given some inaccurate information.

As a country member, any time there is any discussion about withdrawal or what appears to be withdrawal of services or jobs in country areas I am concerned. However, I do believe it is important to point out some of the inaccuracies that have been reported about this issue. Despite what has been said, this is not about targeting the regions. It is actually a whole of government initiative, and it stretches right across the Public Service, so it does not apply just in our country areas.

It is also inaccurate to suggest that the government is putting pressure on drought-affected communities—an accusation that has been levelled at the government. Certainly, the government is not singling anyone out. I met with the minister to discuss this, and I discovered that we are talking about approximately 0.11 per cent of the regional labour force in South Australia. I think that this morning a figure of 2,000 jobs was quoted. Certainly that is not the issue in country South Australia. The transitioning of the staff will be a gradual process. It will commence in late February. It will not be a wham-bam immediate occurrence.

The gradual reduction of the workforce numbers will be managed through natural attrition or through redeployment of excess staff and by reducing contract staff usage. If employees want to relocate from regional areas—and some will—they will be entitled to full relocation benefits, including: reimbursements of conveyancing costs if they sell their house or purchase a property; reconnection costs for utilities and services such as gas, electricity and telephone; and reimbursement of removal and storage costs. That is certainly quite a generous offer that will be made for those who wish to relocate. Of course, there were some big regional initiatives announced in the 2007-08 budget, and that will provide increased employment opportunities in our part of the state, including money for new education projects (over $13.6 million), and $12.4 million for the expansion of the Roxby Downs police station. Of course, with the mining industry, we are certainly on the edge of a boom in jobs in my part of the state.

The government would hope to maximise the number of regional staff taking up positions in shared services but, where it is clear that employees do not wish to relocate (and there will be many, because they have partners working in the communities where they are living or they may have grown up in those communities and do not choose to leave), a range of options will be offered to them, and that will be explored in conjunction with the relevant agency. That may include the restructuring of their duties. Agencies may seek expressions of interest from other suitably skilled employees who may wish to relocate, and in some way those jobs can be worked out and the person who will be redeployed will be able to look at other jobs. Certainly any workforce reduction will be conducted in line with the government's policy of no forced redundancy for ongoing employees, so no-one will compulsorily lose their job.

The figure I heard quoted was over 2,000 jobs. This is absolutely ridiculous. In regional South Australia we are looking at approximately 250 FTEs. I know that that can be split up because there will be a number of people who are doing shared and part-time employment, so it will be more than 250 people involved, but it is still not the sorts of figures that have been quoted. I believe that, with the options people will be given, they will be able to find other employment, particularly, as I have said, with the boom that is happening in many parts of our state. Even in smaller communities I believe they will be able to find other employment within that service. In the regions of Eyre and Western South Australia we are looking at only 56 FTEs. So, certainly, in my part of the state it is much smaller numbers, and we will be able to find other employment for those people.

So, while I have certainly had concerns about this, and I still will have some concerns and will be keeping a very close watch on it, I fully understand that this is the way of the world now. This shared services project will save $60 million. It is what is happening in other states across Australia. I believe our people will be given a good opportunity to find other employment if necessary, and all will be well.

Time expired.

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