Labor will protect State Servants’ right to speak out 05 March 2024

Tas Labor

A Labor government will remove gag orders that prevent workers in our public service from speaking out about issues that affect them.

The Health Minister Guy Barnett’s outrageous decision to order an investigation into a paramedic’s appearance at a Labor media conference in Deloraine on Sunday shows a clear need to protect the rights of public servants.

Labor will ensure public servants have the right to speak out freely by amending relevant policies and legislation, to offer protections to workers.

Hearing more from our workers can only improve public policy and Labor recognises that we should be supporting our workers, not threatening them.

The Liberals’ petty, knee-jerk response in referring this non-issue to the head of the State Service Jenny Gale also shows how completely out of touch they are. It also raises the question, what are they so afraid of?

Tasmanians want solutions to the health crisis, not a government that tries to bully its workers into covering up the issues affecting them – it’s time for a better future and a Labor government will focus on delivering that for all Tasmanians.

Sarah Lovell MLC

Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations

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