The Greens say the Morrison Government’s “ideological mission” has seriously undermined the Australian Public Service, after the second interim report from the Select Committee on Job Security was released on Tuesday (19 October).
The Greens have criticised the federal government’s decision to outsource in the public sector, saying it has affected the APS’s ability to “deliver services and provide effective policy advice”.
Deputy Leader of the Greens and Public Sector spokesperson, Queensland Senator Larissa Waters said outsourcing has presented problems in service delivery and damaged the sector’s ability to provide government policy advice.
“Under the Morrison Government, we’ve seen the public service gutted and billions handed out to massive multinational consultancy firms and labour hire companies. Unsurprisingly, the big consultancy firms profiting from this systemic undermining of the public service are massive political donors, stuffing a combined $4.7 million into the pockets of the major parties over the past decade,” Senator Waters said.
“This PM is more interested in delivering corporate handouts than he is in delivering good policy outcomes. The Greens support the report’s recommendations to rebuild public service staffing levels, strengthen job security, reduce our reliance on contractors and consultants, and improve public oversight of outsourced advice.”
Greens candidate for Canberra, Tim Hollo, said the outsourcing of government functions has negative impacts on the Canberra community and the state of democracy in Australia.
“Talking to people across the city, from junior public servants to senior ranks, I hear deep frustrations that the federal government is constantly undermining their capacity to do their important work through under-funding, contract work, and outsourcing. I also speak to countless Canberrans who share our concerns about the ties the major political parties have to these consultancy firms,” Mr Hollo said.
“What should worry everyone in this country is what we’re seeing through this process of corporatising the basic functions of democracy is a shift from governing for the public good to government by for-profit corporations.”
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