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Public Service Bill - Thrice denied

Ministerial Press Release

The Government will reject the Opposition's amendment to the Public Service Bill passed in the Senate the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service, Dr David Kemp, said today.

The Government will immediately resubmit the Bill, as originally agreed between the Government and the Opposition, to the Senate for reconsideration of this restrictive and prescriptive amendment.

"The Government cannot accept the Opposition's amendment. It effectively means that nobody will be able to be employed in the APS to undertake specific tasks or meet fluctuations in work demands unless regulations are made which subscribe to the unions' and the Opposition's prescriptive industrial relations agenda," said Dr Kemp.

The Government's legislation has affirmed that the usual basis for engagement in the Australian Public Service is as an ongoing employee. Under the Opposition's amendment, people will have extremely limited opportunities to work in the APS for a short period of time to gain skills that may then improve their chances of securing an ongoing engagement.

Labor's amendment is contrary to the whole basis of the Public Service Bill, which is to move the Australian Public Service away from the constraints of a lengthy and prescriptive Act, to a new framework where employment powers are able to be used directly by agency heads, to meet the needs of their business plans.

What the Government has proposed is that Australian Public Service Agencies should be able to appoint people for up to three years to undertake specific tasks or meet fluctuations in work demands.

"The Government has gone a long way to addressing the concerns expressed by the Opposition about this form of employment," said Dr Kemp.

"What the Government has proposed is consistent with the recommendations of the McLeod Report which were endorsed by the Opposition when they were in government."

The Government has negotiated in good faith with the Opposition, in recognition of their position as an alternative government, over the last five months and sought reasonable compromise and bipartisan support. Agreement had been reached on amendments to the Bill which would have significantly advanced our shared aims for a modern public sector framework.

"By moving this amendment, the Opposition have significantly altered the basis on which we have been negotiating," said Dr Kemp.

"The Public Service Bill, as previously agreed, will allow for a dynamic and flexible public service, which is vital for good Government and effective delivery of quality services to the public. For the sake of real and lasting public sector reform, I urge the Opposition to reconsider their position," said Dr Kemp.

Media Contact: Samantha Herron 02 6277 7460 or 0412 639 754