Public Sector Review - August 2019

Review Public Sector

Public Sector Review Magazine • August 2019

6

Privatisation ...

In no one’s interest

www.cpsu.asn.au

14

Child Protection cuts will place kids at risk

16

SA Pathology Privatisation Bleeding our state dry

22

Worksite Representatives Forum a success

CONTENTS From the General Secretary: 3 ICAC investigation uncovers corruption From the President: 4 Unity can stop the attack on public services What PSA Members Achieved 5 From the Assistant General Secretary: Privatisation...

In no one’s interest

6

INDUSTRIAL NEWS Privatisation goes ahead Despite court ruling

8

State of Cuts

10

10 Reasons To end privatisation now Bleeding our state dry

12 14

Child Protection Cuts Will place kids at risk

16

MEMBER NEWS Member Profile: Ashley Richard Members walking for justice Out and About With PSA Members Worksite Representatives Forum a Success Worksite Representatives Charter and Guide launched Five tips for a better night’s sleep

13

WELCOME This second issue of the Public Sector Review for 2019 comes to you after another state budget that made significant cuts to essential services. The cuts, which include job losses and the cessation of important programs, are being felt in almost every department. The PSA is working to support affected members and continuing our campaign efforts to ensure South Australians have access to high quality essential public services.

Members have an important role to play in recruiting to the union.

When was the last time you asked a non-member colleague to join the PSA? Sometimes asking is all that’s required to start someone thinking about joining. To be effective in our campaigns we need to increase membership density in worksites.

Let’s act together to ensure the community has equitable access to essential public services.

17 18 22 23 24

APHEDA: In Timor Leste, 25 Union Aid Abroad is strengthening rural farmers

MEMBER BENEFITS PSA Holiday Home

26

Training Calendar

27

Review Public Sector

The Public Sector Review is an official publication of the Public Service Association of SA Inc and the Community and Public Sector Union (SPSF Group) SA Branch.

Comments, letters and editorial material to: ‘The Editor’, Public Sector Review Level 5, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide SA 5000

FEDERAL WEBSITE The website has general interest articles, a links page and specific sections for women, schools, higher education and correctional services.

Selected articles are published electronically on the PSA website at www.cpsu.asn.au Tel: 08 8205 3200 Fax: 08 8223 6509 Toll-Free: 1800 811 457 Email: enquiries@cpsu.asn.au

www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au

2

When you do talk to your colleagues about joining, let them know the PSA is campaigning not only for their workplace rights and conditions but also to defend the people in the community they support every day.

State government budget cuts are all about running down services provided to the public so they can be sold off to for-profit private providers. Wherever this occurs, prices go up and services deteriorate.

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

Designed and printed on recycled and sustainably sourced paper by Created 2 Print, 107 Sturt Street, Adelaide SA. www.created2print.com The Public Sector Review’s official publication number is PP565001/0010.

Volume 3, Number 2.

Responsibility for political content in this publication is taken by Nev Kitchin.

Cover Image: PSA Staff and members at the 2019 May Day rally.

A message from the General Secretary

ICAC INVESTIGATION UNCOVERS CORRUPTION

by Nev Kitchin

The recent media story about an ICAC investigation into senior staff in the Department of Corrections should be of serious concern to PSA members and the general public. It was reported that at least two executive employees involved in the Yatala building upgrade were arrested and charged with abuse of public office and bribery or corruption.

Many are wondering how far the investigation will go, how many others may be implicated and whether or not those arrested, or those who may be arrested into the future, had anything to do with the privatisation of the Adelaide Remand Centre (ARC) or the current benchmarking fiasco.

What we do know is that multi-million dollar contracts have been in train for some time and during the PSA’s recent court challenge on the ARC privatisation, the Department fought long and hard against the release of crucial information.

We also know that the Department of Corrections had a comprehensive plan in place to privatise the ARC. Just who was involved in that plan and whether or not those arrested were involved we don’t know at this time. The plot thickens when benchmarking is factored in.

Corrections Officers and others suspect it’s no coincidence that one of those arrested was from Mt Gambier, the very place being used as the benchmarking model, along with unidentified interstate prisons. The irony that Corrections may be using corrupted information to benchmark honest workers is clearly a possibility.

www.cpsu.asn.au

Morale and trust of senior management within Corrections was in tatters before the ICAC revelation, now it’s been completely demolished.

Bearing in mind those allegedly involved are entitled to the presumption of innocence, the fact remains that the fuse has been well and truly lit. Our PSA Facebook page has seen an explosion of opposition from both PSA members and the general public about the state government’s pending and actioned privatisation decisions.

The ARC trial exposed serious issues around due diligence and procurement processes that resulted in Serco being awarded the multi-million dollar contract.

Most recently, there have been leaks suggesting the new ARC workforce will be half the current number and those remaining staff will be working 12-hour shifts. Corrections members with the corporate knowledge and experience know this is a recipe for disaster.

dollars are being sold off to multinational companies who then charge us for their services, create precarious employment, diminish workers’ entitlements and then transfer profits overseas whilst avoiding tax wherever possible. If that is not enough, throw in overwhelming evidence against Serco and their history of disastrous performance, and even corruption, and one has to ask what the state government is up to.

The PSA is calling for a parliamentary inquiry into privatisations in South Australia, especially as it relates to the Adelaide Remand Centre, train and tram operations, DPTI Road Maintenance and the section of the Lands Titles Office contract that could see Service SA and the Motor Registry sold off to private interests.

Anger about privatisation is growing in our community. People are waking up to the fact that resources, assets and corporate knowledge which have been built up over decades using their tax

3

A message from the President

UNITY

CAN STOP THE ATTACK

ON PUBLIC SERVICES

by Michael Griffiths

Can you name a single public service that has been privatised and become cheaper and more effective? It simply doesn’t happen.

Upon the announcement of plans to privatise South Australia’s trains and trams, Transport Minister Stephan Knoll cited Melbourne and London as examples of where privatisation has worked well.

What Minister Knoll failed to mention is that London’s train privatisation was a disaster. The private operator failed and because its liabilities were underwritten by the government, British taxpayers

4

were left with losses estimated in the billions of pounds. In Melbourne, the story was similar, with the state government forced to put train operations in the hands of receivers in 2002.

Recent reports show that Adelaide’s public transport network outperforms Melbourne’s privatised network; our trains are on time 98% of the time compared to 90% in Melbourne, and our trams are on time 95% of the time compared to Melbourne’s 80%.

for shareholders. We need to ask ourselves this – do we want inferior and more expensive services that line the pockets of big business, or do we want high quality affordable public services for all?

It’s time to stand up and be counted.

Only united action from PSA members, the broader union movement and the wider community can stop privatisation.

We might lose some battles along the way, but we can’t afford to lose the war.

There’s only one reason a service ends up in the hands of private operators, and that’s to make as much profit as possible

OUR VISION

OUR MISSION

A South Australian Public Sector in which PSA members are highly valued and well-resourced, with fair and secure working conditions and entitlements.

To grow, engage and empower our membership by working collectively to effectively represent, protect and actively advance PSA members’ interests.

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

d e v e i h c a s r e b m e m a s p T WHA

clause Violence Leave stic and Family d me an t Do d en ve lem pro entit An im • d 15 days leave vides clarity aroun ct on performance and conduct pro country. c Sector for the impa the bli in ion Pu e nit n siv og er en rec od reh M e the most comp South Australian from making this claus AGREEMENT laried 2017 returning to work Sa t: en em re Ag ns for members time tio rttec pa pro to d Enterprise ss an ce ty Ac Clari • part-time basis.

(Jan 2018 - Jan a l the va on til e pro un av ap Le up of y nt te nit Mater agreeme ent from da d requirement for Two year agreem • arrangements an e. ag 2020). lated at child is of school d clauses. ave will be calcu 0 new or amende 35 n tha the ds of Maternity Le d of leave. re of rio Mo life pe nt • ue g the eq rin bs du Su w rio vie pe • t re r prior to the firs es to go unde the FTE fraction ployees Another 100 claus • titlements for em in nt nt. me me g clause with en ree din Ag Agree ee se stf pri ea ter br En w the Ne • ns protected by nt eding.

Essential conditio political and industrial environme who are breastfe • in rta ons for pregnant ce un an of light safe job provisi ere a New transfer to ve entitlement wh lea • al ion es including addit ye plo S em SE EA found.

SALARY INCR safe job cannot be up to 10 increases of ll receive annual titlements (access wi ers mb me A partner leave en of PS id % pa 90 t ed os nc ha Alm En • • salaries 2% or more. days sick leave). on to 0 per annum for 50 of HSR informati $1 of y lar sa se ba requires provision the o int es Increas New clause which • • up to $75,000. the PSA. id at public num which ever of $1800 per an holidays will be pa o the base salary worked on public int e es tim as All re .

• Inc 00 • laries above $75,0 holiday rates is greater, for sa y period on or to the first full pa e after the ted da ck ba be to ibl Increases on as poss • WORKLOADS and payable as so from 1 Oct 2017 tions against nt. me ree ag e stronger protec certification of the d clauses provid de en .

Am 19 20 t • Oc d rkloads. ses Oct 2018 an unreasonable wo ifically for Subsequent increa • mechanism spec co of a nsultation n tio uc el. rod lev Int al • N oad issues at a loc JOB PROTECTIO addressing workl spute ongoing ing rm Grievance and Di nfi ific co ec e sp us d oa w cla es stronger workl time there is a ne rm of employment in the Public • lud t Inc firs the r Fo • the primary fo mechanisms. employment as r.

Secto aduates N ployment for gr CLASSIFICATIO vides ongoing em mpletion of their program. co A new clause pro y cation. tor • fac tis sa to ct bje from date of appli su and trainees ) has a ssification to apply RR cla (R Re cy an • nd to progression du yees with a view retraining and re proved case management ASO1 level emplo mpeted by August 2018.

Redeployment, im all th of • wi dit ix Au nd pe • ap w priate to be co comprehensive ne nt. to ASO2 as appro TGO/ y for redeployme OPS, PO, CFS, and accountabilit on t ian rel for the review of t n, and no ing tio es tra vid us nis pro cla s mi se of Ad t au Cl • nd-alone se rvices Commission re during life of Se l ga Le RRR now has sta A, AH • re Ca MeS, Determination. ture of AYTC Secu Commissioner ’s s of being classification struc first three month the n thi wi t.

SP en TV ym pt a e pa agreement. eam for Allied Those who acce $15,000 incentiv • , AHP and new str will be receive a rements for ASO4 nths inc mo w declared excess 12 Ne t firs • the 0% for e will remain at 10 eployment Health Assistants.

The TVSP packag ly to 75% after the 12 month red • on Y p D CONSISTENC and then will dro DARDISATION AN AN ST d. rio pe se Agreement in cy of the Enterpri S ation of the prima matters.

ON ns firm ITI itio Co ND nd • co CO t D en WAGES AN tion and employm rity, era cla un re mo rem es tion 3.1 vid ime which pro ioner ’s Determina e clause for Flexit d, and provides s of the Commiss rat ve ion pa pro vis se ap w pro nt. as e ne me A av ed Le ree cru • • st losing time ac ces. en force by this ag nd protections again called up and giv out in some instan ds benefits beyo xitime to be paid fle ve ha to u ility Lie tion clauses exten cmstances and ab in sa f en Of e mp Tim Co d r’s un aro Worke ecific cir • uses provide clarity and taking, protections ar time limit in sp lice and New separate cla the current two ye uses as incorporated into the Po • for accruing be e to tim IL er TO Ov cla r for fo t the es on vid d pro se d, ba ve of Paymen are pro ap e accrued as nts. against losing tim rates in some circumstances. st aid Nurses agreeme e mental health fir the paid out at overtim hes a program for d lis an tab nts es e me us ge cla an arr New • clarity about hours work and time-based yees.

A new clause for training of emplo • ployees’ hours em in all ion ich lus wh inc m for ed basis fro lop s rights of ve firm de co be e ll derived wi A new claus • the life of of s nth esented and entitlements are mo pr re ee thr thin the first members to be ift Work Sh e, im ert PSA Worksite this agreement wi Ov of e view will includ rt-time confirms the rights the agreement. Re of Hours, Ordinary Hours and pa s. an Representative Arangements, Sp . nts me arrange Authorised by Public

www.cpsu.asn.au

Nev Kitchin General Secretary Service Association2 Pirie Street, Adelaide SA 5000 12 www.cpsu.asn.au

5

A message from the Assistant General Secretary

PRIVATISATION ... IN NO ONE’S INTEREST

by Natasha Brown

The PSA recently partnered with the Hawke Centre to present a public forum: Privatisation… in whose interest?

The purpose of this forum was to challenge the all-too-familiar claim that the public sector does not provide value for money; that private operators can successfully deliver better services at a lower cost and that this means it is in the public interest to sell them off.

Backed by a wealth of evidence we know this is not true.

False promises The public knows from experience that the big promises of, for example, better quality electricity and water at cheaper prices were a con. Prices have increased; access, quality and reliability have declined, and costs to government have increased over the long term.

These perceptions are reinforced by several decades of accumulating evidence on the inherent flaws in the nature of privatised for-profit services and the ongoing erosion of the public good and significant damages to workers, communities and the public as a whole.

Nevertheless governments continue to pitch privatisation of public services as the solution to problems with costs and service delivery at the local level, maintaining the illusion of ‘balancing budgets’ in times when the need for ‘fiscal restraint’ is imperative.

We need to be really clear that privatisation is not a ‘local’ solution to a

6

‘local’ problem. It is a central component of several decades of neoliberalism and its influence on political, policy and funding environments across the globe. The arguments for privatisation are now as discredited as other aspects of neoliberalism like ‘trickle-down’ economics.

“ The arguments for

privatisation are now as discredited as other aspects of neoliberalism like ‘trickle-down’ economics.

”

Mega-corporations benefit, not communities Privatisation has spawned the rise and rise of the giant global corporations with enormous lobbying capacity and political influence which now deliver a multiplicity of public services through their taxpayerfunded contracts with governments. It’s no secret that many of them structure their Australian corporate interests in such a way that they pay no tax in Australia.

Alongside this are the vast powerful global consultancy firms who advise governments through their public sector consultancies and undertake endless reviews which almost inevitably recommend cutting and privatising public services and public sector jobs. Recent CPSU research shows how the big four consultancy firms have nearly tripled their income from federal government contracts since 2013, all while becoming among the nation’s most generous political donors.

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

This is the context within which in just three decades from the establishment of Australia’s first private prison in 1990, the proportion of prisoners held in private facilities has grown from just under 2% to nearly 20% – the highest proportion per capita in the world – and the management and operation of private prisons is dominated by global corporations headquartered in Europe and the US. Similarly, the opening up of Australia’s public health system to private operators has seen the rapid rise of large corporate and private providers across key areas of public health – pathology, medical imaging and hospital-based care.

We know that large foreign-owned corporations are growing enormously wealthy and powerful through provision of public services substantially funded by us – the Australian taxpayers – and that their corporate interests have been key drivers of rising living costs.

No accountability or transparency And we know that for too long, public accountability and transparency have been undermined by confidentiality and commercial-in-confidence arrangements between governments and private

contractors, with limited public reporting.

But you have to question, if privatisation is supposedly so good, why do governments and the private companies they enter into contracts with go to such great lengths to try and obscure the truth about their operations?

What credible analysis of their operations shows, is that the obsession with benchmarking, performance targets and the imperative to cut costs is a primary means by which governments force private sector staffing levels and working conditions on the public sector – including saving money by employing less experienced and trained staff – in the name of providing better “value” to taxpayers.

“ Our campaign is firmly

on the side of jobs and workers, the needs of the community, the public interest over both the short and long term.

”

The primary accountability of private corporations is not to the public, it is to deliver profit and returns to their shareholders. The end-logic of this commercial imperative is practices which make for maximum profit. To be competitive and maximise shareholder returns the business model involves: lower staffing levels than the public system, lower wages, providing less job

www.cpsu.asn.au

security and employing higher levels of inexperienced/untrained/casual staff.

There is hope Northern Health, a major public teaching hospital in Melbourne, has recently taken back control of its pathology lab after a seven year experiment with privatisation.

After being contracted to Australian Clinical Labs (ACL), serious concerns arose with the negative impacts of ACL’s business model and its pursuit of profit on the quality of its services.

These concerns included major staffing issues such as reducing staff numbers through cutbacks and redundancies; an overall decline in experience and expertise of staff; underpayment of staff; and short-staffing. Turnaround times suffered, and the overall decline in the quality of pathology services and standards negatively impacted on patient care. Concerns grew to such an extent that Northern Health decided not to renew the contract with ACL and brought pathology back in-house by establishing a new public pathology laboratory service in order to “create capacity and selfsufficiency”. The new public service at the Northern opened in January 2019.

Likewise, the Queensland Government has also recently taken the decision to return its two private prisons run by Serco and GEO to public operation and control, due to serious concerns with the private operating model. At the time of the announcement, Corrective Services Minister Mark Ryan said

“State-run facilities have more staff, and more staff means more safety…

So the public operating model delivers on more staff safety and that is one of the considerations that has led to this decision. This will cost extra money but we think that this is justified and it is in the public interest.”

Our campaign continues During the forum “Privatisation… in whose interest?”, we also heard other examples of privatisations interstate and overseas which have been successfully reversed through union campaigning and community action. This is why keeping up the momentum in our SA Not For Sale campaign is so important.

Our campaign is firmly on the side of jobs and workers, the needs of the community, the public interest over both the short and long term, and what genuinely represents ‘best value’ for South Australians in the expenditure of public funding. It is driven by our evidence-backed belief that the fairest and most equitable way to deliver high quality public services accessible to all South Australians is through properly resourced and supported public systems with respected public sector workers – you – as their backbone.

7

PRIVATISATION GOES AHEAD DESPITE COURT RULING The state government has handed the Adelaide Remand Centre to Serco On March 18, 2019 Serco issued a Stock Exchange announcement that it had signed a contract to operate the Adelaide Remand Centre.

Serco has an extensive and scandalous history of failure in operating private prisons and corporate responsibility in Australia and overseas.

Serco leading the way with its announcement to the Stock Exchange, rather than the government taking responsibility for an essential public service, emphasises the priority of profits over public service attached to this privatisation.

PSA General Secretary Nev Kitchin responded to the announcement with the following media statements: “The claim by the government that Serco will operate as a ‘centre of excellence’ is a joke. Serco’s history is one of scandal, contract breaches, and prisons being

8

returned to public management due to their comprehensive failures.”

with Corrections staff on significant changes to their employment conditions.

“The PSA maintains its opposition to prison privatisation because privatisation always leads to reduced safety through increased assaults, increased drug use, increased recidivism; fewer staff with less training.”

Staff must be consulted

A deal done in secret

In calling on the state government to reverse its ill-thought decision to privatise the ARC, the PSA General Secretary said the Tribunal’s decision sends a strong message to the state government about meeting its requirements to involve staff in decisions around workplace change.

Making matters worse, the contract with the government was signed in secret during a trial in which the PSA was seeking a ruling from the South Australian Employment Court to compel the government to consult on the decision to privatise the ARC.

“The decision confirms what we’ve said all along, that the government is required to consult with employees and the PSA on decisions that clearly affect their safety, their employment arrangements, and future,” he said.

It says a lot about the integrity of this government that they should go ahead and sign a contract before a decision on the need for consultation had been made.

Subsequently, on Tuesday April 30, 2019 the Employment Court found that in carrying out the privatisation of the Adelaide Remand Centre (ARC), the state government had breached the enterprise agreement by failing to consult

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

Employers are required to abide by the terms of enterprise agreements and the state government should be an exemplary employer in this regard, instead they have shown complete disrespect for the Corrections workforce.

“Genuine consultation with people directly involved is important because informed decisions are better than ill-informed decisions, and employees have a

longstanding legal right to be consulted about matters that affect their working lives,” said Mr Kitchin.

Serco’s record speaks for itself Serco has an extensive history of highprofile scandals and failure to meet contractual obligations associated with its business operations. This history has been extensively documented.

In Australia, Serco’s operation of the South Queensland Correctional Centre was the subject of scathing criticism from the Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission. In Western Australia, prison sources, including prison officers, went public with concerns about serious issues at Acacia Prison, describing it as a “dangerous and unsafe work environment” and “a powder keg waiting to explode”.

“ Serco’s history is one

of scandal, contract breaches, and prisons being returned to public management due to their comprehensive failures.

”

Also in WA, the Wandoo Reintegration Facility was operated by Serco from 2012 until 2018 when it was returned to government control. Premier Mark McGowan said that bringing the facility back into public hands would save taxpayers’ money. “We have to stop the revolving door of re-offending when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, particularly with meth.”

In New Zealand Serco lost their contract for the Mount Eden prison and were fined $8m following widespread evidence of understaffing and poor supervision and reports of extreme violence and neglect.

In the UK Serco has been the subject of criminal and statutory inquiries.

www.cpsu.asn.au

are you receiving our email updates?

The PSA provides information to members on industrial matters and other benefits via email. To ensure you receive the very latest information, please let us know if your email address changes.

Just send an email to enquiries@cpsu.asn.au with the details and your membership record will be updated.

PSA MEMBER BENEFITS AND

MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES For information on PSA Member Benefits, Holiday Homes, and for all of your membership enquiries you can contact the PSA between 8:45am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Phone: (08) 8205 3200 E: enquiries@cpsu.asn.au

www.cpsu.asn.au

9

STATE OF CUTS ANOTHER ROUND OF BUDGET CUTS LEAVES NO DOUBT ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT’S PRIORITIES The handing down of the 2019/20 State Budget in June saw millions more cut from essential public services. In the days leading up to the budget, Treasurer Lucas made his priorities clear, announcing his intent to roll out five budget surpluses in the coming years.

Governments do not run like households. A budget surplus is only a sensible aspiration in periods of high economic growth.

Running a budget surplus to the detriment of essential services, apart from being economically unsound in the current fiscal environment, is also morally bankrupt. But apparently five surpluses on the trot is a good plan for South Australians, unless of course, you are one of the hundreds of thousands who rely on high quality essential public services every day.

No respect for workers While this budget includes some worthwhile investment in public services, like funding for an early intervention program in Child Protection, it is a case of giving with one hand and taking with the

10

other. Within two weeks of budget day, 115 jobs were cut in the Department of Child Protection, including 59 financial counsellors, marking the end of what is a critical and highly regarded program.

These cuts completely ignore the recommendations of the Nyland report which called for more investment in Child Protection rather than less.

This budget also includes 1500 job cuts, which come on top of the 4000 from the 2018/19 budget. Around 1100 of these new cuts will come from Health.

The State Government was quick to play it down in the media, claiming the jobs were merely “back office jobs” and would not effect frontline services. The PSA immediately hit back with General

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

Secretary Nev Kitchin telling the ABC’s Jules Schiller: “There’s one thing that really gets on my nerves, together with our members’ (nerves), and it’s the terminology of ‘you don’t need to worry it’s just back office people, you’ll still have police and you’ll still have nurses and doctors, the cuts will be to back office people’. Well it’s the back office people that support everybody else on the front line. I’ve always found it offensive that they just categorise people as being back office people.”

This is the reality the State Government chooses to ignore in pursuit of its surpluses.

To them, workers who deliver essential services are expendable regardless of the impact on the community and particularly our most vulnerable citizens. It might help the Treasurer sleep better at night to pass the cuts off as “back office jobs”, but PSA members know just how important those positions are in supporting the delivery of essential services.

PSA MEMBERS’ RIGHTS HOTLINE

Phone: (08) 8205 3227 Email: enquiries@cpsu.asn.au

www.cpsu.asn.au For information and advice on your working and employment conditions, contact the PSA Members’ Rights Hotline between 8:45am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

More than a numbers game State budgets are more than just the dollars and cents, they are a statement by the government about the level of care and respect they have for the community they represent.

It is disappointing that the government has once again chosen not to invest in benefiting the lives of South Australians by properly resourcing our public services. This is the second budget where this government has chosen to deliver South Australians a reduction in services and an increase to their cost of living.

in the previous budget which will also impact negatively on service delivery.

These include: • The Adelaide Remand Centre to be handed over to notorious private provider Serco • SA Pathology told to save over $100m or face privatisation, a privatisation risk which remains • Radiography in Murray Bridge and Port Pirie identified for privatisation • Privatisation of road, bridge and port maintenance and traffic signal maintenance • Closure of TAFE campuses

The budget also includes additional savings measures imposed on agencies of $360m over four years. The total public sector savings target for 201920 is $653m and increases each year thereafter in the forward estimates.

These cuts come on the back of a number of privatisations announced

www.cpsu.asn.au

• Park Rangers cut despite promises they would be increased.

What can we do to stop it?

The PSA has been campaigning strongly since the 2018/19 State Budget ripped significant resourcing from the public sector.

PSA Organisers are continuing to work hard to support members across all departments to prevent more job and funding cuts, but there is no doubt we have a mammoth task ahead.

Our campaigning will continue in earnest and requires strong member support. With more surpluses (cuts) to come, there is no telling how many more jobs and services will be on the chopping block.

The time to fight back is now.

11

10 REASONS TO END PRIVATISATION NOW STAND UP FOR ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES AT SANOTFORSALE.COM.AU

1

Your services get worse:

Public services involve caring about people. But private companies make a profit from public services by cutting corners or under-investing. There is a conflict between making a profit and taking the time to care.

2

Privatisation costs you more:

You pay more, both as a taxpayer and directly when they privatise public services.

Have you noticed how your water bills, energy bills, train and bus fares keep on rising in real terms? In a privatised service, profits must be paid to shareholders, not reinvested in better services. Interest rates are higher for private companies than they are for government.

3

You can’t hold private companies accountable:

If a private company runs a service, they are not democratically accountable to you. You do not have a voice. Contracts to deliver public services are agreed between private companies and government behind closed doors. There is very little transparency, public accountability or scrutiny. The companies are not subject to Freedom of Information requests because of ‘commercial confidentiality’.

4

Privatisation creates a divided society:

Public services are important to meet everybody’s basic needs, so we can all be part of the community. Privatisation encourages richer people to pay more and

12

opt out of the services we all use. This leads to division, making it harder to provide excellent public services for everyone.

5

You don’t get a democratic voice:

When we go to the shops, we all make our own individual decisions about what we want. Public services are different – they give us a chance to come together to decide what kind of society we want to live in.

6

Public services are natural monopolies:

Privatisation was introduced because of a belief in free markets and consumer choice. But public services are often what economists call ‘natural monopolies.’ For example, when you take the train, you do not really have a choice about which one to use. There is no real competition. But with private monopolies you do not have power as a citizen to make the service better through democratic accountability.

7

Private companies cherry pick services:

Private companies cherry pick the profitable bits of a service so they can make as much money as possible.

For example, bus companies will only run services in busy areas, so rural communities lose out unless government steps in with a subsidy. It is more efficient to run public services in public ownership so that profits can be reinvested across the whole network as needed.

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

8

Privatisation means fragmentation:

When lots of private companies are involved in delivering a public service, this can create a complicated, fragmented system where it is not always clear who is doing what. Private companies don’t necessarily have much incentive to work together to share information. This makes it difficult to provide an integrated service.

9

Privatisation means less flexibility:

Councils and government departments are responsible for meeting the needs of the public – but privatisation means less flexibility for changing circumstances. If an outsourcing contract with a private company needs changing, government must pay more to make changes or improvements, add in extras, or opt out.

And selling off public assets or public land means we the public have fewer options and resources for delivering the services we’ll need in the future.

10

Privatisation is risky:

If private companies are running our public services and they fail, the public has to pick up the pieces when things go wrong.

Stand up for essential public services. Go to: SANOTFORSALE.COM.AU

MEMBER PROFILE: ASHLEY RICHARD

PSA WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVE, WESTERN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH Tell us about your role as an OT at Western Community Mental Health?

I am an Occupational Therapist in the community mental health team. I’ve been in the role for five years with a period working in an inpatient mental health unit.

My role largely involves care coordination, which involves reviewing consumers’ mental state, ensuring they are receiving their medication and helping to problemsolve the many issues that can arise like homelessness, rebuilding lives after being unwell and helping people rediscover some purpose in life.

As an occupational therapist I am particularly interested in getting people back to doing the things that make life worth living. That can range from being a family member to getting back to work. People find meaning and purpose in life through the things they do. If people are engaged meaningfully in their lives then they are more likely to stay well and live happy lives.

Why did you decide to work in the mental health sector?

I first started working in mental health when I applied for a graduate position when leaving university. After being here five years I find that I love the contact I have with consumers and their families. I have learnt that there are as many ways to live a life as there are people in the world, and that keeps the job interesting and challenging. The forms and paperwork are not my favourite, but it’s all part of the job.

www.cpsu.asn.au

You’re a PSA Worksite Representative - why did you join the union and decide to become a Worksite Representative?

I joined the PSA for two reasons. I believe in the work that unions have done to achieve the rights and conditions we enjoy at work. And we can’t afford to take these rights for granted. I think it’s also important to have protection; it’s a bit like insurance. It’s important to insure the things that are of greatest value to you and that definitely includes my job.

I started my Worksite Representative journey when the previous Worksite Representative retired. Since then I have gradually become more involved and active in the role as I’ve attended various PSA meetings and events and my colleagues have come to know me as a Worksite Representative.

How has being a PSA Worksite Representative impacted the way you work with colleagues?

There has only been positive impacts to being a Worksite Representative in my relationship with colleagues, both those in the union and those who are not. I find that everyone values the work the union does and the importance of a union presence. It is still fairly early in my Worksite Representative journey but we have started regular meetings with union members on site. The response has been positive and I look forward to seeing how these regular catch ups will impact my colleagues and the workplace.

Why do you think public sector workers should be in the union?

As I said earlier, at the very least we need to protect and insure the things we value and will find difficult to replace. A job and our income rates pretty high in importance in a worker’s life and it just makes sense to protect it. The work that unions do only positively impacts our workplace conditions, so the union fees are a bargain with all the benefits it brings.

MEMBER CLASSIFIEDS If you are a financial member of the PSA and would like to advertise with us, you can place a classified in the Public Sector Review free of charge. Classifieds are printed at the discretion of the Public Sector Review Editor and will be printed for two editions unless the item is sold earlier. Classifieds must be supplied in text format with a maximum of 70 words. Classifieds can be emailed to the PSA at enquiries@cpsu.asn.au.

Please note that classifieds are only available to financial PSA members.

13

“ There’s simply no

evidence that shows private pathology is more efficient.

BLEEDING OUR STATE DRY SA Pathology is being lined up for privatisation, and it’s a very bad idea On Tuesday 2 April 2019, the state government released the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report titled, Review of the commercial competitiveness of SA Pathology in a contestable market. The report contains almost impenetrable analysis on how the “business model” needs improving while saying absolutely nothing about how a more “competitive” service would benefit the community.

The report found that SA Pathology is not in any position to be privatised, but only because “it isn’t currently competitive”. Since when does a public service that provides an essential community service need to be “competitive”? The reality is, it needs to be sustainable, but the government appears to be cutting costs to make the service more attractive to a potential buyer in a sell-at-allcosts mentality.

While the report highlights areas where ‘staff operating costs’ could be reduced, it does not include any recommended staff

14

”

savings. The government, however, took the opportunity to pluck a number out of thin air, stating they wish to reduce the workforce by about 200 staff, an announcement without any supporting information or study into the effects on the system such cuts may have.

“ Constant concerns

started to arise about ACL’s business model and how its pursuit of profit impacted on the quality of services.

”

Treasurer Rob Lucas has insisted the government is trying to achieve efficiencies in order to save SA Pathology from privatisation, but there is little doubt that government handing the service over to one of the large private providers is a real possibility.

Lessons from interstate If the government does its due diligence, it should forensically examine the recent history of privatised pathology outside of South Australia.

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

In 2012, Bendigo’s public pathology services were privatised, with Healthscope Pathology awarded a five-year performance-based contract to run the service. The deal came with promises from the Bendigo Health bosses that all existing staff would be retained and services would be improved. “There will be no job losses for our staff and no loss of quality, decrease in service or additional costs to our community ...” they claimed at the time.

Perhaps Bengido Health was taken in by the spin, but their trust in Healthscope to keep its word was misplaced. In 2015 Healthscope was acquired by leading private equity firm Crescent Capital Partners. This deal gave rise to the formation of Australian Clinical Labs (ACL), now the third largest provider of private pathology in Australia. ACL employs 3800 staff across 90 laboratories, 900 collection centres and 90 private hospitals in Victoria, SA, NT and NSW. These types of acquisitions are commonplace, meaning once dependable, secure public services are subjected to the whims of a market that prioritises profits over people.

No duty of care Private operators have no obligation to provide services to particular communities.

Rural communities will be particularly at risk in circumstances such as this; it is very hard to make money in small communities. Private operators’ business model relies on volume, and the more expensive, less profitable tests are generally left for the public provider.

Now back to Bendigo. In 2017, ACL, now in charge of pathology services at Bendigo Health, announced that it would close Bendigo Hospital’s microbiology lab.

It was, they said, a ‘business decision’ to centralise all routine testing to ACL’s Clayton facility in Melbourne’s south-east.

“ Private operators have

no obligation to provide services to particular communities.

”

The decision immediately raised concerns among staff about loss of expertise, safety, quality, and turnaround times. The Liberal opposition Health spokesperson, Mary Wooldridge, was also highly critical, citing the loss of jobs and associated clinical risks. Former Pathology Director at Bendigo Health, Dr Vince Murdolo, was scathing of the ACL decision, telling the Bendigo Advertiser he now holds “serious concerns about the adequacy of pathology services provided to Bendigo Health by ACL, to the point he would not feel comfortable seeking treatment there for himself or his family.” He added that the Bendigo situation was indicative of wider problems with privatisation of essential services being ‘shaved away’ at the local level.

Widespread problems The similar experience of Melbourne’s Northern Health demonstrates that private providers are not more effective or efficient and can not deliver on their repeated promises of “world-class healthcare” and other catchy slogans.

As in Bendigo, Healthscope won the contract to provide pathology services for Northern Health in 2012 and the

www.cpsu.asn.au

Northern Hospital became one of the largest public hospitals to outsource pathology services. It too experienced serious problems with ACL following its takeover of Healthscope in 2015.

Major staffing issues quickly emerged, including: reducing staff numbers through cutbacks and redundancies, an overall decline in experience and expertise of staff, underpayment of staff, and shortstaffing.

Turnaround times suffered, and there was talk that ACL was using its hospitalbased laboratory to undertake private work which was often prioritised over the more clinically urgent needs of hospital patients. Overall, issues such as these led a decline in the quality of the The Northern’s pathology services and standards, which ultimately impacted on patient care. The result? In 2017, when the level of concerns with ACL’s pathology operations had reached a critical point, Northern Health made the decision to return the privatised pathology operations to public control.

Not only do these two examples highlight the serious risks to high quality provision of patient care, they also reveal issues around sustainability and continuity of services when the business model of private companies and their commercial imperative to make profits for their shareholders takes primacy over the provision of vital public services.

What does this mean for South Australia?

With the state government seeking to privatise SA Pathology, the alarm bells should be ringing, particularly in regional centres, many of which, with multi-skilled and efficient staff, provide a high quality local service to their communities.

ACL is not the only player in the private pathology market. Sonic Healthcare Limited, which rose from the dust of a struggling mining company, already has a chunk of the SA market. Clinpath Laboratories, which operates ten Adelaide laboratories, is a wholly owned division of Sonic.

As a result of its overseas acquisition strategy, Sonic is now also one of the largest healthcare corporations in the world with vast interests outside Australia.

In 2018, its revenues were over AUD $5 billion. Sonic’s shareholders benefited to the tune of AUD $329 million. Together with Healius, formerly Primary Health Care, another private pathology player, they account for three-quarters of what is a multi-billion dollar market in Australia.

Both Healius and Sonic’s majority shareholders are made up of a combination of global banks, investment funds, private equity firms, wealthy individuals and the like. Anything other than “growth” simply will not do.

Shareholders the winners With the recent development of an apparently state-of-the-art laboratory at the Adelaide Airport, ACL, which already has at least eight laboratories and around 80 collection centres in SA, would appear to be a likely frontrunner if SA Pathology is indeed sold off. It’s understood the new ‘state-of-the-art’ lab does not have capacity to conduct a significant number of complex tests. However, the location of the new lab at Adelaide Airport will make it easier for complex tests to be sent interstate, resulting in slow turnaround times and potentially critical delays for patients. And the private pathology network in South Australia is already struggling – information received from those in the industry suggests there are massive delays in getting test results, often up to twice as long as is clinically acceptable.

There is simply no evidence that shows private pathology is more efficient, but it is certainly more profitable. The state government should be more concerned with providing an efficient and reliable service to South Australians than lining the pockets of global health giants and their shareholders.

Support the PSA campaign against privatisation of our assets.

Go to sanotforsale.com.au and sign the petition.

15

CHILD PROTECTION CUTS WILL PLACE KIDS

AT RISK

Despite protestations from a number of organisations the child protection financial counselling program has been axed.

The State Government’s slash and burn approach in the public sector has left no department unscathed. In late June, it was announced that 115 jobs would go in the Department of Child Protection.

59 of those staff worked in the highly regarded Financial Counselling program.

This program offered specialised and unique support to assist families to manage their financial situations where children are at risk of abuse or neglect, however the cuts brought it all to an end.

PSA Assistant General Secretary Natasha Brown condemned the cuts, saying “Our members working as Financial Counsellors perform an excellent public service by helping to reunify families and

16

ensuring that children can be cared for in a financially secure environment. Axing this early intervention program will only lead to more families suffering, more children in care and, ultimately, greater costs to our community”.

sector will not be able to provide an effective Financial Counselling service to the community, replacing the service provided by Department for Child Protection (DCP) Financial Counsellors.

In the lead up to the State Budget on June 18, 2019 the PSA collaborated with the South Australian Council of Social Services (SACOSS) and the South Australian Financial Counsellors Association (SAFCA) on a joint statement opposing the cuts to the financial counselling program.

SACOSS, SAFCA and the PSA are calling on the SA Government to rethink their impending SA Government budget cut of $4 million to the Financial Counselling Program in the Department of Child Protection (DCP). The cut to this program, announced in September 2018, is set to be “replaced” by an allocation of $1 million to the NGO sector.

On June 12, 2019 a press conference was held to launch the joint statement which demonstrated that the already overstretched and under funded NGO

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

Joint Statement

“These cuts left over from last year’s State Budget to the Financial Counselling

Program in the DCP, will significantly affect the lives vulnerable and at-risk young people,” SACOSS CEO Ross Womersley said.

“What’s more, they arrive just ahead of a budget where there will be enormous pressure to make further cuts, as a result of lack of GST income.”

“Already, the pressure on NGO financial counselling services is severe with extended waiting times, and they’re only able to meet 60% of the demand,” said Wendy Shirley, SAFCA Executive Officer.

“To expect NGO providers to pick up a program for less than a quarter of the funding is unreasonable and unworkable,” she added.

“Financial Counsellors offer specialised and unique support to assist families to manage their financial situations where children are at risk of abuse or neglect. It’s a completely ill-considered decision to hand this service over to an already stretched NGO sector with much less funding than is needed to support young people in care,” Natasha Brown, PSA Assistant General Secretary said.

“The Government seems to think that they have trimmed the budget in one area and offered an equivalent level of service in its stead,” Mr Womersley said.

“What we’re hearing from key people is that this ‘equivalent’ funding is ill-conceived and untenable. This is an area where the government should be investing more effort to ensure kids don’t need to enter into the child protection system,” he concluded.

Essential Action!

The PSA’s ‘I Am Essential’ campaign highlights the important role every public sector worker plays in ensuring the provision of high quality essential public services.

Go to SANOTFORSALE.COM.AU to sign our petition calling on the state government to invest in our public sector so we can continue to provide high quality services to our growing community, now and into the future.

www.cpsu.asn.au

MEMBERS WALKING FOR JUSTICE The annual Walk for Justice event took place on May 21 in the Botanic Gardens and along Karrawirra Parri in Adelaide.

PSA members from state public service workplaces participate every year, including members from the Legal Services Commission (LSC), Crown Solicitor’s Office (CSO) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The event is the primary fundraising event for JusticeNet, the not-for-profit organisation that coordinates pro bono legal services in South Australia. The 2019 event had raised $58,000 by the morning of the event on its way to a target of $75,000.

Lawyers at LSC provide legal services for people of our state who do not have the resources to pay for legal representation as well as providing legal education and advice directly to the community.

Leah Marrone, who organised this year’s walk, has worked for LSC for almost a decade and currently works in the Community Legal Education unit that educates members of the public on legal rights and how to pursue justice.

impacts disadvantaged groups like refugees. Not everyone can afford or knows how to access civil representation,” said Leah.

JusticeNet coordinates lawyers who give of their time to provide services such as judicial reviews for refugees, negligence cases, employment law, discrimination and so on. JusticeNet assesses possible cases then helps find lawyers who will take them on.

“If you cannot afford a lawyer then pursuing justice is difficult. Some services are provided by community legal centres, many people represent themselves despite not having knowledge of their rights and legal processes... the risk is justice becomes something that’s for people who can afford it,” Leah said.

JusticeNet relies partly on regular donors - individuals, law firms and other benefactors for funding, but its single biggest event is the annual Walk for Justice. This was its eleventh year.

The PSA review asked Leah why she participates in the Walk for Justice.

“I do it because I care about justice in this state. There is insufficient funding in the civil sector in South Australia, and this particularly

17

OUT AND ABOUT WITH PSA MEMBERS

18

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

www.cpsu.asn.au

19

20

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

www.cpsu.asn.au

21

WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVES FORUM A SUCCESS

On Thursday May 9, the 2019 PSA Worksite Representatives Forum took place at Rydges, Adelaide.

This year’s forum, themed “Worksite Representatives are Essential” built on the success of the two previous years and the turnout was fantastic. More than 100 WSRs packed into the Rydges conference room and contributed to an equally packed agenda which featured various guest speakers, workshops and Q&A sessions.

PSA General Secretary Nev Kitchin welcomed WSRs to the forum before Assistant General Secretary Natasha Brown reported in detail on the union’s SA Not For Sale and I Am Essential campaigns. She outlined the major risks to essential public services in South Australia, particularly with respect to privatisation of our state’s assets (for more see Natasha’s article on page 6).

Guest speakers included both Treasurer Rob Lucas (attending on behalf of Premier Steven Marshall), and Opposition Leader Peter Malinauskas.

Both were invited to give their respective parties’ positions on the role and value of the public sector, before facing questions directly from WSRs on the

22

floor. Treasurer Lucas provided an account of government decisions with respect to public sector funding, while the Opposition Leader gave a history of recent political and economic activity, highlighting the disconnect between our economic growth and political culture.

WSRs grilled both politicians with questions about a number of current issues including the privatisation of the Adelaide Remand Centre, axing of the DCP Financial Wellbeing Program, SA Health reforms and the threatened privatisation of SA Pathology.

The forum also saw the launch of the PSA Worksite Representatives Charter and Guide – The Role of the Worksite Representative (see page 23). This was

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

produced following the previous year’s conference where WSRs detailed what they wanted to see in such a document.

A fantastic Q&A panel session followed, featuring members from the Department for Child Protection who discussed their experience organising in the workplace and a recent win regarding 12 hour shifts which resonated strongly with other WSRs in attendance.

The forum ended with a planning session, where WSRs worked in groups with others from their agency to discuss the priorities they would work together on over the rest of the year.

If you are interested in becoming a PSA WSR for your workplace, call our Members’ Rights Hotline on 8205 3227 to learn more.

PSA WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVES CHARTER AND GUIDE LAUNCHED

The launch of the PSA Worksite Representatives Charter (inset) and guide took place at the Worksite Representatives Forum held at Rydges on Thursday 9 May 2019 (see page 22). The Charter broadly outlines the role, values, rights and actions of members who take the important step of becoming the Worksite Representative for their colleagues in their workplace.

The Role of the Worksite Representative (the guide) expands on this by explaining the role, responsibilities, and rights of the Worksite Representative in greater detail. Both documents are an essential resource for PSA Worksite Representatives and a worthwhile read for all PSA members.

PSA Worksite Representatives play a crucial role – they are the face, focus and voice of our union in workplaces across South Australia. Many members’ principal union experiences are through the work of their Worksite Representative in their workplace.

www.cpsu.asn.au

PSA Worksite Representatives: • Are workplace leaders who know and understand the members in their workplace and actively engage in and promote the principles, values and objectives of the union to members and their colleagues • Care about their colleagues and are committed to representing and advocating for them; care about their workplace and are committed to ensuring everyone is treated fairly and with dignity in providing public services; care about the public sector and are committed to protecting and promoting it • Have an established and legitimate representative role in the workplace, supported by legislation and enterprise

agreements. Encourage their colleagues to be active members of the PSA • Are accountable to PSA members in the workplace, other worksite representatives, elected officials and the union office, and our union’s policies and rules.

These principles are the foundation of the Worksite Representative role.

Could you be a Worksite Representative at your workplace?

To find out more about the role contact the PSA Members’ Rights Hotline on 8205 3227 or email: enquiries@cpsu.asn.au

23

FIVE TIPS

FOR A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP Sleep. We know it’s good for our health but so many of us struggle to get enough of it, no matter how much we need it.

We chatted with Dr Dien Dang from the Adelaide Sleep Clinic about lifestyle tips and tricks to help your body prepare for the best night’s shut-eye.

1. Wind down

4. Less Light

While physical activity is encouraged every day for your overall health, Dr Dang says it’s important not to do too much physical activity in the evening. “Avoid heavy workouts three hours before bedtime,” he says.

Many of us take our phones, iPad or kindles to bed, but while we might think reading our e-book or scrolling through Instagram makes us sleepy and helps us switch off, often the bright lights of our screens are having the opposite effect on our bodies. “Turn down the lights, use blue-light filters and avoid bright light prior to bed,” Dr Dang says. “Blue light from your mobile phone, tablets and computer screens can disrupt your sleep even further.”

2. Routine, routine, routine Our bodies love routine, and this is the same for our sleep patterns. Dr Dang says you’re more likely to sleep better if your body knows when it should be going to sleep and waking up each day. “Maintaining the same sleep-time and wake-time can allow your body clock to remain in sync.”

3. Less daytime naps While it can be tempting to take a nap when we’re tired, regular napping can have negative effects on your sleep patterns, according to Dr Dang. “Napping during the day will prevent a build-up of sleep debt, and push your sleep-time later and later.”

24

5. Less caffeine, less nicotine, less alcohol This might seem like an obvious one, but often we assume our bodies get used to stimulants and become ‘immune’ to the effects. Dr Dang suggests it’s best to avoid these, especially in the evenings and afternoons, as much as possible. “Avoid caffeine at least four hours before bedtime as that will promote wakefulness. Smoking is a stimulant and will disrupt your sleep. Alcohol might sound like a good sedative, but will contribute to fragmented sleep, louder snoring, and worsen any Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.”

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

IN TIMOR LESTE, UNION AID ABROAD IS STRENGTHENING RURAL FARMERS In Timor Leste, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA is working to empower rural farmers by building agricultural cooperatives and unions.

The majority of Timorese live and work in rural farming districts. Small-scale family farming forms the basis of the national economy, but yields are low and farmers suffer from insecure incomes.

By organising farming communities into unions and cooperatives, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA and its local partners are combatting rural poverty by boosting agricultural production.

A growing movement: farmers come together in unions Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA partners are already working across nine regional districts, with over one thousand farmers benefiting from stronger harvests and greater participation in the local economy.

Field organisers live alongside the farmers to support them to build strong and democratic farmer bases which are able to organise rural communities, pool resources and help farmers access the seeds, land, and finance they need. www.cpsu.asn.au

Skills for farming and leadership Throughout Timor Leste, APHEDA partners have established more than sixty Community Bases since the beginning of this project.

Once a new group has been established, the field organisers train farmers to put into practise organic, traditional and integrated farming techniques.

The focus of APHEDA partner organisations in Timor Leste is to move away from harmful pesticides and fertilisers. Instead, farmers are building community nurseries using organic farming techniques to grow crops for food and market and to grow plants that will protect the soil from erosion.

Going beyond agricultural techniques, farmers develop the capacity to engage in the community through advocacy, community leadership, and popular education. After having taken on these new skills in civic engagement, participant farmers can transfer this knowledge to their communities and step up into leadership roles locally.

Mutual support for economic growth The project also supports the development of economic cooperatives that allow farming communities to manage their profits in a way that is collective, independent, and sustainable.

To support this goal, field organisers and trainers are working together with community bases on workshops to assist them to build distribution networks and markets for their crops.

Fighting for a just and sustainable Timor Leste The establishment of local farmers’ unions provides both a political voice and a democratic process for collective decision making. You can support Timorese farmers grow a more just and sustainable future by becoming a Global Justice Partner with Union Aid AbroadAPHEDA. To contribute to the global justice organisation of the Australian union movement, visit www.apheda.org.au/join

25

ENJOY A PSA HOLIDAY HOME As a PSA member, you can take advantage of your member benefits and book a stay at one of our PSA holiday home units.

Our holiday units are located in some of South Australia’s most popular tourist destinations, giving you the chance to explore more regional experiences:

PSA HOLIDAY HOME: GOOLWA Gorgeous Goolwa on the Fleurieu Peninsula The PSA Goolwa holiday home units are perfectly situated to give you access to the wonderful beaches and landscapes of the southern Fleurieu Peninsula.

Our comfortable, self-contained home units feature kitchen and laundry appliances and plenty of outdoor space, and are also within walking distance from Goolwa’s beaches.

Nearby Middleton has some of the Fleurieu Peninsula’s best surf breaks, and is also perfect for bodyboarding. Waitpinga is also close-by, and offers some great surf-fishing opportunities.

Just a short distance away you can easily explore the fantastic eateries and shopping of Victor Harbor and Port Elliot, and the wineries of Langhorne Creek.

For more information on PSA Holiday Homes, check out holidayhomes@cpsu.asn.auhomes or contact the PSA at holidayhomes@cpsu.asn.au to make a booking.

PSA

DISCOUNTED CARDS 26

Public Sector Review Magazine | AUGUST 2019

Don’t forget, as a PSA member, you are entitled to year-round discounts of 5% off Coles, Foodland and Woolworths gift cards, and 10% off Harris Scarfe gift cards. By taking advantage of your member benefits, over the course of a year your PSA membership can provide you with substantial financial savings.

Glenelg / Goolwa / Kangaroo Island / Port Lincoln / Robe / Port Vincent / Wirrina Take advantage of great prices, from $335 for a weekly stay, or $90 per night when travelling in the same month as booking. Our units are perfect for families, couples and friends. PSA holiday home units are a great way to enjoy a brilliant South Australian holiday year-round, at unbeatable value.

Please see our website for full pricing details and booking conditions.

Alternatively, give our friendly Member Benefit Team a call on 8205 3200.

PSA members can also take advantage of stays at New Zealand holiday homes through our partnership with the PSA of NZ. Members can contact NZ PSA directly via holidayhomes@psa.org.nz for details.

BOOK YOUR NEXT HOLIDAY TODAY

PSA TRAINING CALENDAR WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVE

TRAINING COURSES

WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVES LEVEL ONE This three-day course covers communication skills, the role of the Worksite Representative, interpreting industrial provisions and problem solving skills, union history and much more.

Dates:

13 - 15 August 2019 22 - 24 October 2019 19 - 21 November 2019

Time:

9:00am – 5:00pm

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVES LEVEL TWO This two-day course is available to Worksite Representatives who have completed the Worksite Representatives Course 1 (or equivalent).

Dates:

20 - 21 August 2019 12 - 13 November 2019

Time:

9:00am – 5:00pm

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Cost:

Nil for PSA Members

REPRESENTING MEMBER SKILLS This course provides advice on supporting members with individual issues, negotiation skills and dealing with management.

RECLASSIFICATION PART 1 & 2

TRAINING COURSES

The first part if this course is a one-hour lunch ‘n’ learn. This part will cover the fundamentals of the reclassification process focusing on how to best outline your case.

The second part is a half day workshop for members who have already attended the first session to work through their application with support and peer feedback.

Members do not need to attend these sessions consecutively, that is, after you have attended the lunch and learn you can attend any future workshop which suits your calendar.

Registration is essential – you can register online at: http://www.cpsu.asn.au/training-programs/

PART ONE - LUNCH’N’LEARN Unsure on whether you qualify for a reclassification?

Not sure how to go about compiling your application?

Then this short course is for you. This course is offered both in person and as a video conference online.

22 August 2019

Time:

9:00am – 5:00pm

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Cost:

Nil for PSA Members

GETTING THAT JOB! APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW SKILLS This one-day course looks at the key skills in applying for new roles, responding to selection criteria, and being successful in interviews.

Time:

6:00pm – 7:00pm

Time:

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Cost:

Nil for PSA Members

VIDEO CONFERENCE

Dates:

29 August 2019 16 October 2019

Time:

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Time:

9:00am – 5:00pm

Cost:

Nil for PSA Members

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Cost:

Nil for PSA Members

PART TWO - WORKSHOP This workshop is specifically designed to provide time for members to commence preparing their reclassification application. You do need to have undertaken part one of the course before attending and have gathered all of the materials required as per Determination 5 outlined in the first part of the course.

This course will also provide opportunity for peer review.

28 August 2019 6 November 2019

Time:

9:00am – 5:00pm

Dates:

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

Time:

9:00am – 12:00pm

Cost:

Nil for PSA Members

Venue:

Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide

www.cpsu.asn.au

Dates:

Dates:

Video Conference (session via video link only)

29 October 2019

This one-day course will help you feel comfortable speaking to groups of people and help you to ensure that the message you want to send is the one that is received.

31 October 2019

Venue:

Date:

PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS

Dates:

30 October 2019

In this course you will learn how to get the most out of workplace and union meetings at the worksite.

TRAINING COURSES

27 August 2019 15 October 2019

Date:

EFFECTIVE MEETING SKILLS

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBER

PSA

LUNCH ‘n’ LEARN SEMINARS The PSA runs a number of lunch time information sessions throughout the year on topics such as Super, Wills and much more.

Visit www.cpsu.asn.au/training-programs for more information.

27

HAVE YOU ENJOYED YOUR PSA SA MEMBER BENEFITS LATELY? Don’t miss out on great offers available everyday.

Remember to activate your location device on your smart phone to find offers near you.

Log in to psaplus.frequentvalues.com.au to see the thousands of participating merchants.

SAVE 20% (UP TO $25) ON LOCAL DINING & UP TO 50% ON ACTIVITIES DEALS Just a few of the many exclusive restaurants and activities you can save at:

www.cpsu.asn.au

20% 2 Off the total bill 2

176 Greenhill Road, Parkside SA 5063 08 8291 7255

GOING ON HOLIDAYS? SAVE ON GREAT HOTELS & FLIGHTS

e-Gift Cards Valid on any flight, anytime departing from Australia Public Sector Review | time AUGUST 2019 The participants listed in this advertising wereMagazine accurate at the of printing.

Please refer to the website for the current list of valid restaurants and other businesses.