More ACT public service job cuts on the cards - ABC Online

Updated December 05, 2012 09:56:39

An ACT Government directorate is warning further job cuts could be unavoidable as it tries to meet its savings targets.

The Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate is axing 20 full-time equivalent jobs this financial year through voluntary redundancies and natural attrition, as outlined in the budget.

In a overview prepared for the incoming government, the directorate says achieving the savings is challenging and says further staffing reductions may be unavoidable.

Vince McDevitt from the Community and Public Sector Union says he is keeping a close eye on developments.

"The union is absolutely monitoring developments in the ACT Government particularly in relation to jobs and of course potential job losses," he said.

"As such we're in constant communication with the Government and indeed we share a seat on a panel with them in how these job losses are being managed."

Mr McDevitt says the job losses are in line with the budget announcements.

"Times are tough in the ACT public service, and of course we're looking to kick off pay negotiations before Christmas which will no doubt prove challenging," he said.

ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja has accused the Government of hypocrisy

He says during the election campaign Labor wrongly accused the Canberra Liberals of planning job cuts, and now their own plans have been exposed.

"They are hypocrites and they're clearly dishonest. They had really nothing to say to the community other than making up lies about the Liberal party," he said.

"They did that in relation to job cuts all the while they were cutting jobs and they are cutting more jobs."

Topics: states-and-territories, public-sector, unions, act, canberra-2600

First posted December 05, 2012 07:46:30