❓ Dr. Nahan questions the government's policy of granting permanency to public servants, arguing it contradicts machinery-of-government changes aimed at cost reduction and flexibility. The Premier defends the policy, accusing the opposition leader of advocating for insecure employment.
AnsweredQoN 538Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC SECTOR —
PERMANENT POSITIONS
538. Dr
M.D. NAHAN to the Minister for Public Sector Management:
I have a supplementary question.
Given this policy of giving permanency will work against every aspect of the
machinery-of-government changes that the government brags about and its service
priority review—that is, it will increase the cost of the public
sector, increase the cost of —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the supplementary question.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This will
increase the cost of the public sector and the cost of redundancies and reduce
the flexibility of the public sector, working against —
Several members interjected.
Point of Order
Mr D.A.
TEMPLEMAN : Supplementary questions are very short.
The SPEAKER : That is right.
Leader of the Opposition, can we have a succinct question, please.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This policy
will work against every aspect of the machinery of government —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGowan : Would the
Leader of the Opposition like me to answer?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : No. Let me ask
the question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
We are near the end. I put in an extra question today because we had a bit of
extra time, but I will not be doing so tomorrow.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : How does the
government's policy of giving permanency to 13 000 public servants work
with its machinery-of-government changes and service priority review, which are
designed to achieve exactly the opposite—reduce the cost and improve
the flexibility of government?
PERMANENT POSITIONS
538. Dr
M.D. NAHAN to the Minister for Public Sector Management:
I have a supplementary question.
Given this policy of giving permanency will work against every aspect of the
machinery-of-government changes that the government brags about and its service
priority review—that is, it will increase the cost of the public
sector, increase the cost of —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the supplementary question.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This will
increase the cost of the public sector and the cost of redundancies and reduce
the flexibility of the public sector, working against —
Several members interjected.
Point of Order
Mr D.A.
TEMPLEMAN : Supplementary questions are very short.
The SPEAKER : That is right.
Leader of the Opposition, can we have a succinct question, please.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This policy
will work against every aspect of the machinery of government —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGowan : Would the
Leader of the Opposition like me to answer?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : No. Let me ask
the question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
We are near the end. I put in an extra question today because we had a bit of
extra time, but I will not be doing so tomorrow.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : How does the
government's policy of giving permanency to 13 000 public servants work
with its machinery-of-government changes and service priority review, which are
designed to achieve exactly the opposite—reduce the cost and improve
the flexibility of government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thought if one public sector
worker in Western Australia would be arguing for permanency, it would be the
Leader of the Opposition!
Dr M.D. Nahan : You fired 3 000.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The Leader of the Opposition had better
think about what he is saying before he stands up and says it. Arguing for more
insecure employment—I am not sure that is in his interest. I am not
sure that he should be doing that. That is not what I would be doing. As I explained
to the Leader of the Opposition, the commissioner's instruction that
went out from the Public Sector Commission was very clear about funding being
secured for these positions. I explained it to the Leader of the Opposition in
my answer. I know that he does not listen to the answer because his
supplementary questions reflect that every time. I know that he has difficulty
listening, watching and reading things, but I was very clear in my initial
answer about that. That is the position we have taken. Other governments have
done it before. The reality is that it is only Liberal governments that do not.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
worker in Western Australia would be arguing for permanency, it would be the
Leader of the Opposition!
Dr M.D. Nahan : You fired 3 000.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The Leader of the Opposition had better
think about what he is saying before he stands up and says it. Arguing for more
insecure employment—I am not sure that is in his interest. I am not
sure that he should be doing that. That is not what I would be doing. As I explained
to the Leader of the Opposition, the commissioner's instruction that
went out from the Public Sector Commission was very clear about funding being
secured for these positions. I explained it to the Leader of the Opposition in
my answer. I know that he does not listen to the answer because his
supplementary questions reflect that every time. I know that he has difficulty
listening, watching and reading things, but I was very clear in my initial
answer about that. That is the position we have taken. Other governments have
done it before. The reality is that it is only Liberal governments that do not.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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