Department of Communications scales back dramatic job cuts
The federal Department of Communications is understood to have dramatically reined back major cuts that had been expected to see as many as 125 of the 550 positions within the department go.
Mumbrella understands only around 20 positions have so far been made redundant after the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) pushed the department to abandon a proposal made in February for a department wide “spill and fill”, which would have forced all employees to reapply for their positions.
The department looks after areas including online security and safety, the NBN and policy governing TV and radio broadcast licenses.
The full job cuts within the department will not be completed until September, but it has chosen only to conduct the “spill and fill” with middle management positions at the public service rankings of EL1s and EL2s. The Australian public service grades all staff, with ELs representing middle management, APS representing junior staff and senior management at SES level.
CPSU deputy national president Alistair Waters told Mumbrella: “We told Communications that a spill and fill was a divisive process that does not help staff/management relations in the long run.
“There is always a better way than pitting colleague against colleague. We have always worked hard to keep jobs and avoid redundancies and our teams are out there every day making a difference in the workplace.
“It’s good to see that Communications has backed away from a spill and fill for most of its staff but the reality is that it is still very tough out there in public service. We are pleased that the number of involuntary redundancies has been reduced from around 120 to around 20.”
A spokesman for the department confirmed ongoing cuts due to a “surplus” of staff but would not confirm the number of staff so far made redundant. “There was a surplus number of Senior Executive Service (SES) Band 1, EL2 and EL1 positions identified in the new structure,” said the spokesman.
“The process of placing all staff in the new structure is ongoing and will not be completed until early September. Throughout this process a number of staff have left the department through a combination of voluntary redundancies and natural attrition, including transfers and resignations. This has significantly reduced the number of people likely to be unplaced in positions.
“At this stage, we cannot provide specific numbers of staff unplaced in the new structure.”
The Department of Communications oversees the creation and implementation of policy across a number of key areas impacting media and marketing including broadbrand and mobile policy, as well as traditional media such as television and radio.
In the federal budget in May the Federal Government announced it would seek to eliminate 16,500 public service positions over the next four years.
Nic Christensen
