The union representing the public sector including Centrelink workers, the CPSU, welcomes the government’s decision to increase staff at Services Australia to assist with COVID-19 and the doubling of Newstart.
Our members in Services Australia are critical to the national response, but we know they are understaffed and overworked at the best of times. That is why the CPSU is calling on the Morrison Government to ensure that all new staff for Services Australia are APS employees and engaged as ongoing employees.
Since the election of the Liberal National Government in 2013, over 3,823 Services Australia and Centrelink jobs have been cut. These 5000 extra staff will go some way to assist the capacity of the department and getting the help to those who need it.
But the government must continue to closely monitor the workloads of APS agencies critical to the national COVID-19 response. This will include essential work in Services Australia, including Centrelink, the Department of Health, Home Affairs, Agriculture and the Australian Tax Office.
The CPSU is also calling on the Morrison Government to act to protect the over 23,000 labour hire and contractors that are not protected if they become affected by COVID-19.
CPSU National Secretary Melissa Donnelly said, “Now is not the time for the government to outsource its responsibility. It is essential that the 5,000 new Services Australia staff be APS employees and for the long-term. This will ensure that there is no double handling or delays at this critical time.
“All the evidence indicates that it is will take a long time to recover from this pandemic and Services Australia needs the ongoing staffing and resources to be able to help people through this extended period.”
“We know that Services Australia is understaffed and overworked at the best of times. Under normal circumstances as many as 55 million calls to Services Australia go unanswered every year. This is a direct result of staff cuts and increased outsourcing of essential services.”
“Our members are ready and willing to help Australians affected by COVID-19, but we cannot pretend it is business as usual. We are already seeing large scale stand downs and our members are telling us that the spike in the number of people needing help has already started. The government must monitor pressure on APS agencies and increasing staffing again if needed.”
