The PSA Executive and Council were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Public Service doyen Ian Kowalick.
Ian held the most senior management position in the South Australian public sector, including the role of Commissioner for Public Employment. Ian, together with the PSA, extended the right to salary sacrifice arrangements to all public sector workers. This was previously only available to the Executive stream.
Ian, and the PSA, were instrumental in facilitating approximately 13% of Super SA members – many of whom were women – being eligible to make extra retirement contributions
above the mandated Super Guarantee (SG) contribution (now 10%) into their superannuation accounts which not only boosted their retirement account balance but reduced their tax liability during their working life.
Those who knew him will remember Ian as a warm, generous and compassionate man whose legacy of public service to the people of South Australia will endure and inspire others. A good and true friend who will be sadly missed by friends and colleagues alike.
Public sector workers owe a debt of gratitude to Ian for the reforms he initiated during his tenure as Commissioner for Public Employment and CEO of the Premier’s Department.
In March this year, both myself and our Assistant General Secretary, Natasha Brown, were proud to be re-elected to the PSA leadership. I want to thank all members who voted in the election for putting your faith in our team, which has now been strengthened with the addition of experienced PSA Councillor Lillia Rozaklis, as President. Lillia’s first column as PSA President is published on page 6.
We also have a number of new faces on PSA Council, many of whom have years of experience as Worksite Representatives, supporting members in the workplace. Natasha, Lillia and I are excited about working together with our new Council to continue the implementation of the PSA strategic plan.
It is, and always has been, a great honour to lead our thousands-strong union as we campaign for better working conditions and a high quality, equitable and accessible public service. It’s not a stretch when I say there are few more important jobs than campaigning for working conditions that enable you and your colleagues to carry out your work in the service of our community.
The necessity of providing quality public services to our community cannot and should not be underestimated, particularly during a public health crisis. The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to all South Australians that public services are the backbone of our community. While it must be
acknowledged that the private sector has made its own contributions and sacrifices, it has been public servants on the frontline who are managing the response and making sacrifices in their own lives to keep our community safe.
Rather than expand and strengthen public services, this state government has persisted with so-called efficiency measures across government agencies and continued its ill-conceived privatisation agenda – this has seen billions in taxpayer dollars handed to wealthy private corporations, some with notorious track records providing services on behalf of government.
This deficit approach to public sector management and service provision, which also included a hostile attempt to remove job security from your enterprise agreement, is simply unacceptable. PSA members are to be congratulated on standing firm to reject this hostile attack which has come at a time when job security is more important than ever.
On August 23, PSA EB negotiators gained agreement from government that its new enterprise agreement proposal would maintain the Retraining, Redeployment and Redundancy clause as an appendix in the Agreement. This is a significant win for all PSA members.
Enshrining job security provisions in our enterprise agreement has not only given PSA members confidence in their employment, but more importantly, it has
protected the entire public service from staffing cuts that could have significantly impacted services our community relies on.
With job security protected, the PSA leadership is now focusing on finalising a new enterprise agreement that maintains the hard-won working conditions PSA members have campaigned for over decades.
In March 2022, South Australians will again go to the polls to vote on who will lead our state for the next four years. While our union isn’t affiliated to any political party, elections provide the PSA and its members an important opportunity to communicate our views on the direction of public policy and how it impacts the work you do delivering public services to the community.
In the lead-up to the election, the PSA will be highlighting the work you do to serve the people of South Australia and, critically, the areas we believe need significant attention from government to ensure high quality, affordable and accessible services are being delivered to the community.
We would like to see members strongly engaged in this campaign which we’re calling “Proudly Serving You”. It’s important that our political leaders hear from public servants about the work you do and why the incoming government must prioritise funding and support for the public services you provide.
But first I would like to thank PSA members who put their trust in the current leadership by re-electing both myself and General Secretary Nev Kitchin earlier this year. With the addition of Lillia Rozaklis as President I am confident we will continue to take our union from strength to strength.
Nev, Lillia and I are deeply committed to making sure our union remains steadfastly focused on the issues that matter most to members and campaigning to keep our public sector strong.
Fighting privatisation remains a very high priority for the PSA. Essential services across the SA public sector are still under threat from a state government with an ideological obsession with cutting public services and handing them over to for-profit corporations.
As we head into the 2022 state election, the PSA will continue to campaign and directly lobby political parties to commit to adequate resourcing of our public sector, no further privatisation, and the return to the public sector of services previously privatised under both Liberal and Labor governments.
Following PSA lobbying, the Legislative Council Select Committee Inquiry into the Privatisation of Public Services in South Australia was established in May this year. The PSA authored a detailed submission to the inquiry which was lodged in early August. I subsequently appeared on behalf of our membership as a witness to the inquiry in midSeptember.
The establishment of this committee was in itself an important campaign win, and has provided another valuable
To grow, engage and empower our membership by working collectively to effectively represent, protect and actively advance PSA members’ interests.
As we approach the end of another busy and challenging year I want to reflect on some of the important work the PSA and our membership have been undertaking in 2021.
A South Australian Public Sector in which PSA members are highly valued and well-resourced, with fair and secure working conditions and entitlements.
opportunity for us to expose privatisation for what it really is, and publicly advocate for the well-resourced, equitable and accessible public services our community needs.
Our submission and hearing were both focused on highlighting the financial and human costs of privatisation, the experiences and concerns of our members across the public sector, and the negative impact privatisation has had on our community.
Appendix 1, as well as attacking other important clauses including consultation, dispute resolution, and even mental health first aid training.
The PSA’s negotiating position throughout these negotiations has been based on strong membership feedback, with PSA members consistently telling us that your highest priorities are to protect and maintain your existing conditions and entitlements, and in particular to safeguard your job security protections in Appendix 1.
In our submission and hearing, we have urged the committee to make recommendations to ensure that our public services are managed by government and in the best interests of all South Australians. Members can read our full submission and recommendations at psaofsa.asn.au/sa-not-for-sale and see the article on page 8 for more details.
As I write, PSA Organisers are busy holding meetings across all agencies to talk with members about the recent salaried enterprise bargaining offer from the state government. We began this latest round of enterprise bargaining with the state government in full attack mode. In particular, they sought to strip members of their job security by removing the Redeployment, Retraining and Redundancy (RRR) provisions in
Though the process has been long and difficult, the current offer is a testament to the strength and persistence of PSA members, with the government moving significantly from their original hostile position and agreeing to an offer which would protect not only members’ job security but all other existing conditions for the next three years.
I want to congratulate each and every PSA member for proudly standing firm together in the face of the government’s regressive enterprise bargaining agenda.
In order to achieve our shared goals we need to continue to grow and build power in our union. We will continue to focus on strengthening our Worksite Representative network, providing further development and training opportunities, and increasing our union membership. You can help by talking to your colleagues about the union and encouraging them to join if they haven’t yet. We can and will continue to achieve great things by supporting each other and working together.
Please note that the PSA Office and Member Benefits Centre at 122 Pirie Street Adelaide will be closed from 12:30pm Friday 24 December 2021, reopening at 8:30am Tuesday 4 January 2022.
If you should require immediate emergency support during this office close down period, keep an eye on your emails (December) for the emergency support number.
We look forward to working with you in the New Year to improve working conditions for the public sector, and wish all members and their families a Merry Christmas and a safe and festive holiday season.
“ In order to achieve our shared goals we need to continue to grow and build power in our union. ”
On behalf of the PSA Executive, Council and staff, we would like to thank you for your support during 2021 and for belonging to your union.
After 37 years of PSA membership, including serving as a PSA Worksite Representative, Councillor, Vice-President and Federal Councillor, I am humbled and honoured to have been recently elected as the President of your union.
My career in the SA public service has included roles in strategy development, audit, financial reporting, investment planning and project management. During my time on Council I have applied these skills in supporting good leadership and decision-making within the PSA.
While recently elected as President, I am familiar with chairing PSA Council and Executive meetings, having presided over many PSA meetings in recent years in my capacity as Vice-President. Through my experiences, my respect for the PSA staff, leadership and above all, the membership, has only grown.
Throughout my career I have always believed in a union with solidarity among members, strong leadership and integrity in governance. Now as President, working together with Nev as General Secretary and Natasha as Assistant General Secretary, I am wholeheartedly committed to these ideals. Our strength as a union is in the members’ collective voice, members’ solidarity and members’ action.
The PSA has a proud history of fighting for – and winning – fair conditions for dedicated public servants, of supporting community services and of being at the forefront of positive social change. Our work in this – your work in this – is vital both for ourselves and for the South Australian community.
by Lillia Rozaklis
We should recognise what members have achieved. In a national environment where job quality and stability is in decline, we have maintained ours. Our job security and consultation conditions, for example, are the envy of unions nationally – and members should be very proud of achieving and holding on to these.
We have a great many challenges ahead of us. We need to stand together against looming threats like privatisation, resource cuts and attacks on services. Standing together, we can protect each other and safeguard services. As your union’s President, I look forward to standing by your side.
The PSA’s 2021 training program has been instrumental in the continued development of our workplace leaders and has played an important role in our union’s growth and industrial achievements.
Our training program this year focused strongly on developing workplace union organisation, increasing membership and, importantly, enhancing the skills of our Worksite Representatives and members.
The 2022 PSA training calendar continues to build on this year’s program and includes two new courses.
Our Experienced Worksite Representative course is designed for Worksite Representatives who have more than four years’ experience in the role. It includes a refresher and update on core Worksite Representative skills as well as an update on current PSA campaigns and structures.
Are you having health and safety issues at your worksite? Our Work Health and Safety for Union Members course is tailored to meet the needs of specific workplaces. The course provides a practical framework to address Work Health and Safety issues and how to work effectively with Health and Safety Representatives. Contact your PSA Organiser or the PSA directly if your work group is interested in this PSA training.
As always we will continue to provide our core program of courses, including: Workplace Representative Level 1 and 2, Reclassification Lunch ‘n’ Learns, Reclassification Workshops, Get that Job, Public Speaking, and a wide range of online workshops.
WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVES LEVEL ONE
March 8 – 10
May 3 – 5
Keep an eye on our website and PSA email updates for more information.
Contribute your ideas
Union training is essential to providing PSA members and workplace leaders with the skills you need to address issues at work. We welcome members’ suggestions on how we can continue to enhance our training program, as well as your ideas about new topics or courses that would benefit members.
We have received feedback from members about our multi-day Worksite Representatives training courses, with some members saying they find it difficult to attend for 2-3 days when they are scheduled consecutively. Our training team has responded to this and, where possible, we will modify the structure of the program to accommodate the particular members attending for that training.
If you do have suggestions on how we can enhance our training program or ideas for new training courses we could provide, please send an email to enquiries@psaofsa.asn.au.
Please take a look at our 2022 program to identify which courses you may like to attend, keeping in mind that some courses are designed specifically for Worksite Representatives.
Head to psaofsa.asn.au/member-login to register for all PSA training courses
Dates:
July 5 – 7
September 6 – 8
November 15 – 17
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Venue: Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide
WORKSITE REPRESENTATIVES LEVEL TWO
March 15 – 16
May 26 – 27
Dates:
July 12 – 13
October 18 – 19
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Venue: Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide
March 1 – 2
March 22 – 23
Dates:
May 10 – 11
September 13 –14
November 8 – 9
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Venue: Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide
PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS
Dates: May 17
September 20
Time: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Venue: Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide
GETTING THAT JOB! APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW SKILLS
Dates:
March 29
July 19
Time: 6:00pm – 7:00pm
Venue: Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide
RECLASSIFICATION PART 1 & 2
Dates: TBC
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Venue: Public Service Association, 122 Pirie Street, Adelaide
In mid September, PSA Assistant General Secretary Natasha Brown appeared in front of the Legislative Council Select Committee Inquiry: the Privatisation of Public Services in South Australia as a witness, outlining how privatisation has failed everyone except the shareholders who profit from it.
Ms Brown’s appearance followed the lodging of the PSA’s detailed submission to the parliamentary inquiry, which was established as a result of political lobbying by the PSA leadership and a successful motion from Greens MLC, Robert Simms.
The PSA’s submission is available online and addresses the following terms of reference:
a. the cost to the public of privatised services;
b. the quality of privatised services and the outcomes for the public, particularly with respect to disadvantaged members of the public;
c. the impact on employment rates, conditions and locations, especially rural and regional employment;
d. the effect on income and wealth inequality;
e. the effect on public participation, social cohesion and public perception of the role of government; and
f. any other related matters.
Not once has the state government made a strong case for handing taxpayer-funded public services to multinationals like Serco and Keolis Downer. These companies are purely interested in shareholder profits; they don’t have the public interest at heart.
PSA Assistant General Secretary, Natasha Brown, told the Public Sector Review the Inquiry has provided an opportunity to put
“The Inquiry has given us the opportunity to highlight how damaging privatisations have been for our state, and the need for greater accountability by decisionmakers in determining what services our government should provide.
on the public and parliamentary record the PSA’s opposition to privatisation and to debunk the now well-established myth that the private sector can run public services more effectively. All the evidence points to wealthy shareholders being the only beneficiaries of privatisation.
“South Australians have a right to know who is really benefitting from these dodgy deals. For far too long these privatisations have been taking place with no tangible benefit to the public who have funded state assets with their taxes,” she said.
Before he was elected, Premier Steven Marshall told members at a PSA forum that a government of his would “not have a privatisation agenda” and that the “best chance of the public sector getting larger is under the Liberal Party”.
His government has conducted itself differently.
Privatisations rolled out since that time, including the Adelaide Remand Centre, Trains and Trams, and Road Maintenance, have gifted Serco, Keolis Downer and Downer large contracts that will cost South Australians far more than if those services had remained in public hands.
“ These companies are purely interested in shareholder profits; they don’t have the public interest at heart. ”
It’s understood that to run our trains, for example, Keolis Downer are being paid approximately $40m more per year than the cost to the public before the government privatised them. Over 12 years that’s a windfall in the order of half a billion dollars to Keolis Downer. To put that in perspective, it would fund more than 400 public sector jobs per year over the course of the 12 year contract.
In the process of privatising these services and threatening to privatise others, there have been significant public controversies that have called into question both the probity of processes and the integrity of those responsible for handing taxpayers’ public services to wealthy multinationals.
Remember Transport CE Tony BraxtonSmith’s direct appointment of three former associates on million dollar contracts? And then there were the million dollar loser fees paid out to those conglomerates unsuccessful in their bids to run our trains.
The heavily redacted Remand Centre contract with
a company notorious around the world for its scandalous management of prisons, exemplifies the government’s lack of transparency and accountability, always under the guise of ‘commercial-in-confidence’ agreements.
“
The Marshall government’s privatisations follow other examples from the previous administration including the Lands Title Office and ForestrySA, not to mention the outsourcing of countless programs by both sides of politics.
In giving evidence to the Inquiry on September 15, Ms Brown said privatisation is now so extensive it has developed its own doctrine which serves the interests
of the Australian-based and foreign headquartered multinational companies and corporations, corporate lobbyists and consultants, and external contractors who profit from these taxpayer-funded contracts.
The PSA submission to the Inquiry focuses on the financial and human costs of privatisation. Privatisation has diminished public services – put private profits before community services – increased the costs of services – stripped the state of vital assets and revenue streams – and hollowed out the state’s capacity to provide the physical and social infrastructure our community needs and rightly expects.
The PSA submission to the Select Committee Inquiry is available for download on the PSA website at: psaofsa.asn.au/campaigns/sanot-for-sale
For far too long these privatisations have been going on with no tangible benefit to the public. ”
With an increasing number of at-risk children coming into state care, the Department for Child Protection’s (DCP) poor workforce planning has led to excessive and forced overtime, increased use of agency staff in Residential Care –ignoring the Nyland Royal Commission’s recommendations – and the inappropriate use of social worker teams to care for vulnerable children.
PSA members are becoming increasingly fed up as the staffing crisis engulfing Residential Care shows little sign of abating. Worryingly, a recent PSA survey of members has revealed only half say they will remain working in Child Protection in a year’s time.
PSA members are dismayed that Child Protection Minister Rachel Sanderson does not seem able to lead the Department out of this crisis.
A previous survey conducted in May this year showed the vast majority of staff are being asked to work excessive overtime and many are being forced to work double shifts.
PSA members who responded to the survey questions made it abundantly clear the crisis is compromising the level of care provided to our state’s most vulnerable children.
“ The children in our care are being looked after by workers who are fatigued, stressed and burned out. ”
“The children in our care are being looked after by workers who are fatigued, stressed and burned out. Sick leave, WorkCover and resignations have increased and as a result, consistency of care has declined.”
“This (the staffing crisis) has impacted children greatly as they are unable to do the things they like or need to do. This then impacts on their behaviour and mental health.”
“Kids can’t get to programs, are late getting picked up from school etc. Kids’ relationships with staff are fractured, and every day it is a different face in their lives. Behaviours are more complex as a result.”
Staff are also suffering. This comment from the survey correlates with many others who replied to a question regarding their own wellbeing:
“When I can’t come home at night without notice this creates issues with my family. I don’t get any notice in advance, so this means my own circumstances are not accounted for. My relationship has suffered. My animals are not able to be cared for because I am stuck at work. I feel tired and don’t sleep well because of the disturbances to routines. This is not how the Department should be treating people.”
It’s time the Minister stepped up Rachel Sanderson is well-known in her Adelaide electorate as an easy-going, personable local Member of Parliament who relates well to locals. She is regularly seen chatting with attendees at public events and, as seen on her social media accounts, spends significant time visiting clubs, schools, small businesses and local community groups.
But as Minister for Child Protection, Ms Sanderson has been publicly invisible, albeit while advocating for increased foster care. Meanwhile, the Minister seems incapable of ending the staffing crisis in Residential Care. For many, it is not surprising – there have been long-held concerns from PSA
members and others connected to Child Protection regarding Ms Sanderson’s understanding of the issues faced by vulnerable children.
Vulnerable children in state care need a Minister who is connected emotionally and intellectually to their cause – a Minister with empathy and understanding that can drive the implementation of policy-based research and best practice.
Indeed, Child Protection campaigner Sonya Ryan, mother of 15 year-old Carly, who was murdered by a man who groomed her online, told the media in February that Minister Sanderson is “completely disconnected” from her portfolio and needs to “stop playing the blame game” when it comes to the responsibility for vulnerable children in state care.
Sonya Ryan’s comments echo the views of PSA members in Child Protection who are fed up with inaction. They are vowing to campaign as long as it takes to ensure the state government provides the staffing and resources necessary to properly support vulnerable children in state care.
Serious questions must be asked about Child Protection under Minister Sanderson.
On 6 October, the state government tabled its offer for a new enterprise agreement for salaried public sector employees.
PSA Council considered the terms of offer as a complete package for a new agreement, the relevant circumstances surrounding the offer and, importantly, Worksite Representative and membership feedback, and has recommended PSA members accept the terms of offer as the basis for a new salaried agreement. Subsequent meetings of PSA Worksite Representatives confirmed their support for the terms of offer being the basis for a new salaried agreement. PSA Council and Worksite Representatives have determined that the terms of offer meet the objectives PSA members set for these negotiations.
Membership meetings have been held across our PSA membership for members to discuss the terms of offer.
As the Public Sector Review goes to press documentation is being finalised to ensure the proposed agreement accurately reflects the terms negotiated by the PSA, and the government is preparing for a ballot of all salaried employees covered by the proposed agreement.
The enterprise bargaining offer came after extensive and intensive negotiations by the PSA, initially on members’ job protection provisions, and later in negotiations on other matters PSA members said were important to them. These most important objectives
derived from wide consultation with members were:
• Job Protection
• Retaining our effective redeployment systems and processes (Appendix 1) in the Enterprise Agreement
• Retaining protection from and processes to deal with unreasonable workloads
• Maintaining all existing conditions of employment
• Fair and reasonable wage outcome
PSA negotiations based on members’ firmly held position resulted in members’ highest priority, your job protection provisions in Appendix 1 – Redeployment, Retraining and Redundancy (RRR), remaining intact.
The proposed new Appendix retains the integrity and content of the current Appendix 1. The same processes, responsibilities, requirements, time frames and dollar amounts of the current Appendix 1 are retained in the government’s proposal for those declared excess.
The principal proposed change is in relation to the process immediately before declaring an employee excess. The government’s proposed Appendix 1 would apply only to those formally declared excess.
The PSA’s negotiations based on members’ consistent and firm position have also resulted in the existing conditions of employment being retained, including no changes to the consultation and grievance and dispute resolution processes. Protections from unreasonable workloads are retained under the terms of the offer. These matters have been the priority concerns of members since negotiations began.
The government’s offer includes four pay rises of 1.5% during a three-year agreement, backdated to the first full pay period in August 2021.
Pay rises will apply in August rather than October in the following three years. There is also a one-off $1000 payment for fulltime and pro-rata for part-time employees, payable following the approval of the enterprise agreement.
Allowances and on-call rates in the enterprise agreement will be increased in line with the general salary increases and operative dates.
A number of improvements to conditions based on the PSA’s proposals also form part of the terms of the offer, including:
• Greater protections against inappropriate behaviours, bullying and harassment in the workplace, including sexual harassment. Key points include a commitment that these behaviours will not be tolerated, and definitions around what is and what is not bullying and harassment
• Mental Health First Aid Training, including a stronger definition of the training to be provided and provision for refresher courses
• Objects and commitments that are balanced between the parties and represent shared understanding and aspirations of the operation of a new agreement – including the commitment to ongoing employment being the primary form of public sector employment
• A new type of leave to support longterm foster carers (6 weeks)
• Increasing the scope of who can share parental leave where both prospective parents are employed in the public sector
• No disadvantage from transferring to a safe job during pregnancy – amendment to ensure that the pay and conditions of an employee transferred to a safe job remain the same as if the employee remained in their regular job
• Emergency Services Leave (5 Days) – an additional 5 paid days leave for volunteers of emergency services organisations involved in major emergencies
• Commitment to establishing a Workplace Flexibility Agreement for CFS/SES employees which addresses their terms and conditions and classifications, including during operational incidents
• A review of the Operational Services and Professional Officers stream classification materials, including exploring the inclusion of technical officers into the OPS stream
• Updating Schedule 1.2A for progression of Psychologists who undertake endorsed supervision to reflect the interpretation decision of the full bench of the SAEC
• Inclusion of Radiographers and Radiotherapists to the group of eligible AHP disciplines to open up the AHA stream to those assisting in these areas
• Amending the AHA-3 Work Level Definitions to reduce the range of tasks an AHA-3 must undertake (currently overly prescriptive).
Hostile agenda defeated
PSA members holding so firm resulted in the government moving significantly from its original harsh, hostile, and disrespectful bargaining agenda.
It is important for PSA members to remember that the government’s original bargaining position was to:
• Remove Appendix 1, Redeployment, Retraining and Redundancy (RRR) from your enterprise agreement
• Slash the 12 month redeployment period
• Remove all RRR accountability, turning Appendix 1 into a page and a half unenforceable policy
• Cut consultation clauses to reduce matters that require consultation
For members a strong enterprise agreement means retaining the hardwon rights we have achieved over the years. Only by standing together can we continue to have a strong voice and achieve changes for the better.
Bronwyn Ludlam Communications and Engagement Officer Office for Ageing Well
I think the offer the PSA has negotiated is generally good. The salary increase given the current economic situation, isn’t bad at all. If you look at the broader community and what others are going through I think it’s a good outcome. I think the point of difference for people who join the public service is that there is more job security – it could always be better but we’ve done very well to protect our job security provisions given the government wanted to take them away.
• Cut the dispute resolution clauses to minimise capacity for employees and unions to resolve disputes
• Change the long established definition of status quo in disputes such that it only applies if there is a WHS risk
• Remove Mental Health First Aid Training from the agreement (government claiming it was no longer needed)
• Change the way the rate of pay during maternity leave is calculated, which would have resulted in some members being disadvantaged
The offer negotiated by the PSA enshrines members’ working conditions and job security and is testament to the strong stand members took in rejecting the government’s hostile enterprise bargaining agenda.
PSA Organisers have been meeting with members across the state to discuss the terms of the enterprise bargaining offer and hear members’ feedback.
Sue Neumann Social Worker Department of Child Protection
I think the union’s done a really good job. I’m really happy that we’ve kept all our conditions, including job security. Keeping the RRR is crucial, and the most important thing for most members. Every time we secure our conditions it’s a relief, but there’s always concern that the government will try again to take them away. But for now, it’s very comforting that we’ve protected ourselves for another three years.
The PSA’s annual Women’s Conference was held on 14 October, with women members coming together from across the public sector to listen and learn from each other, build solidarity, and inspire action. The theme this year was Our Workplace, Our Safety, Our Union, and the conference provided women members the important space and opportunity to identify strategies to improve the lives of women in our workplaces and the broader communities we serve.
Auntie Katrina Power , Kaurna Elder, activist and grandmother, officially Welcomed participants to Kaurna Country, with a powerful call to action to fight together for our right to safe workplaces for ourselves, our sisters and our children.
PSA Assistant General Secretary Natasha Brown opened the conference by speaking to the many aspects of workplace safety and how they particularly impact women. Natasha explored the many ways we can improve
outcomes together, and reported on the PSA’s achievements in the last year as a result of the strong advocacy and resolve of our women members standing firmly together.
Although women have been on the front-line of many areas of the government’s COVID-19 response, women are also far more likely to work in insecure or casual employment than men, putting them at increased risk of job loss. This has been compounded due to growing insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated women’s economic disadvantage and made it more difficult to enforce safety in workplaces –workers are far less likely to speak out about safety issues if they aren’t secure in their jobs.
Sexual harassment and abuse is still pervasive in our workplaces and in our homes. The Respect@Work report, which outlines 55 recommendations to support a change to the culture of sexual harassment in Australian workplaces, found that sexual harassment is most likely to occur at
the workplace, and that it happens in every industry, at every location, and at every level. Sexual harassment and violence are still widely under-reported for fear of blame, fear of social and professional retaliation, and fear of being disbelieved.
Domestic and family violence can also have significant impacts on women in their workplaces, with clear evidence that paid leave provides life saving opportunities for workers to escape and get the support they need.
The PSA achieved a new standard in the SA Public Sector for 15 days dedicated paid Family and Domestic Violence leave through intensive enterprise agreement negotiations in 2017. The broader Australian union movement is now campaigning to secure 10 days paid Family and Domestic Violence leave for workers in all other states and industries.
In this round of salaried enterprise bargaining we have achieved more improvements including improved access to paid parental leave
entitlements; a new entitlement of six weeks paid leave for long-term foster parents; modifying the safe job clause to ensure that women are not penalised financially if they move to a different job for safety while they are pregnant; and greater protections against harassment which include an unequivocal commitment that harassment, including sexual harassment, will not be tolerated.
Crucially, we have maintained all our Retraining, Redeployment and Redundancy protections, providing PSA members some of the strongest job security protections in the country.
The PSA has also continued to advocate for improved access to flexible working arrangements and for super to be paid during periods of paid and unpaid maternity leave.
We have been in a position to advocate for and achieve these things because strong women like those PSA members attending the conference got involved and stood together.
ACTU President Michelle O’Neil delivered the conference keynote address, providing a detailed picture of the broader Australian union movement’s efforts in improving the lives of working women and the courage of women to stand up and speak up in the face of injustice, to force the government to act on sexual violence in the workplace.
The conference also included a panel discussion facilitated by Ella Pak Poy , PSA member and activist working at the Legal Services Commission. Panel participants were PSA members Charlene Crothers (Aboriginal Health), Hannah Casey (SAPOL), Holley Skene (Communicable Disease Control Branch), and Kristin Gillies (Residential Care). These members generously shared with us their experiences of overcoming barriers in their work and their lives to achieve great wins that not only benefited women in their workplaces, but ultimately improved services for the broader communities they worked with.
ACTU Educator Bec Nilon gave an illuminating presentation and workshop on overcoming the barriers women face
to speaking up, and how to harness our power and energy to be more assertive.
PSA Organiser and ACTU Educator Cath Story facilitated a session detailing the ACTU campaign for secure work and what it means for women workers around Australia.
A big thanks must go to Heather Muggridge , a talented and compassionate PSA Councillor who provided musical performances of our favourite anthems that perfectly symbolise our collective struggles in the union and feminist movements.
We are all looking forward to another wonderful PSA Women’s Conference next year.
In an email sent to Facilities Services staff late on 6 July 2021, the Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) confirmed that the Across Government Facilities Management Arrangements (AGFMA) contract has been handed to Ventia, a services provider owned by multinational CIMIC Group.
Management delivers planned and unplanned maintenance, cleaning and hygiene, small construction, security, grounds and waste management, energy and water services, and hazardous materials management to approximately 4,500 government agency sites across South Australia.
The privatisation will impact on 200 public servants employed to manage facilities services across the state, but also on small local contractors who rely on the contracts they have with DIT to provide services in their communities.
Ventia’s interests include MTC Broadspectrum, formerly known as Transfield, the notorious operator of Nauru and Manus Island detention centres. In 2013 Transfield was fined and stripped of eight Adelaide bus routes due to continued poor performance. Current Infrastructure SA Board Chair, Tony Shepherd, is a former board chair at Transfield.
As a result of this latest in a raft of privatisations since the Marshall government came to power, the future of public sector employees working in AGFMA across the state is now uncertain. Redeploying staff in regional areas will be a particular challenge
– their lives are firmly entrenched in those communities and the opportunities for redeployment within the public sector are few and far between.
As one member told the PSA Review, “The vast majority of alternative jobs are in Health – nursing, social work and so on. There simply isn’t similar work available.”
The announcement of the government’s plan to fully privatise Facilities Services sent shock-waves through regional communities where small local businesses are contracted by DIT Facilities Services to carry out work at government buildings like schools, hospitals, police stations, TAFE, law courts and more.
Despite promises from the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Corey Wingard that local contractors would be still be utilised under a fully privatised model, the vast majority of local contractors are alarmed about the future.
One of the options for public servants working in AGFMA is to transfer to the private provider. Staff, however, apart from the risk of losing hard-won working conditions and reduced pay, staff hold serious reservations about the nature of the work they will be required to carry out.
“Our current work is all about regulation –we ensure the quality and integrity of work performed by private contractors is up to standard. If we’re forced to move to the private operator the expectation will be to focus on making profit,” one PSA member told the Review.
Facilities Management staff working in DIT have expressed similar concerns for the future of the local contractors with whom they have built relationships over years.
“The real worry is, and this is borne out by past experience, that these multinational companies come in and they stop using local contractors and in turn the local suppliers to those contractors are overlooked because materials can be bought en masse at cheaper rates from major suppliers. It’s a vicious circle and the community as a whole suffers. Local employment will drop off and young tradies and other staff will need to seek work further afield,” said one DIT staffer.
“ There is no problem with the way DIT manages the contract at the moment – we don’t see any need to privatise it. ”
“We’ve also been told that the contract will permit the new operator to limit the number of local contractors they use,” they added.
Indeed, the original government proposal for the contract stated that Facilities Management Service Providers (Ventia) will only be permitted to ‘self perform’ (directly engage their own tradies) where there is a specific business reason and that reason is approved by the government.
Politically, this decision begs a pretty obvious question – does the state Liberal government really care about its traditional small business base?
A local rural contractor told the Public Sector Review the government doesn’t seem to be considering the bigger picture, pointing out that small businesses contribute a lot to the community beyond the core services they provide.
“Many small contractors donate time, services and money to the local school, to sports clubs and other community groups. If those business go under because they’ve lost too much work, the consequences flow down through the community.”
The full privatisation of Facilities Management poses serious questions about the value our state government places on local jobs, especially in regional communities.
Many are asking how and why the government is prepared to put hundreds of jobs at risk and downgrade the quality of services by handing yet more public money to a large multinational when the current service is operating perfectly well.
“Years of skill, knowledge and experience walks out the door with every privatisation,” noted PSA General Secretary Nev Kitchin.
This year’s State Budget has shown, yet again, that the Marshall government’s agenda is one of a privately run South Australia where public services are seen as an opportunity for big business to rake in more and more profit.
The PSA has consistently advocated for investment in public sector jobs and services as the driver for economic recovery. Long-term,
The PSA provides information to members on industrial matters and other benefits via email. To ensure you receive the very latest information, please let us know if your email address changes. Just send an email to: enquiries@psaofsa.asn.au with the details and your membership record will be updated.
secure public sector employment and service delivery should be the focus for any government genuinely committed to the state’s best interests.
But, as economist Richard Denniss recently pointed out in The Monthly , most politicians are about “picking winners, or playing favourites … wherever possible they spend public money on the ventures they like, and don’t spend it on the public ventures they don’t like.”
Steven Marshall and Rob Lucas are clearly prepared to spend significant public money on projects like a new Riverbank sports stadium, while handing over the essential public services for which they should be responsible, to profit-hungry multinationals. Where’s the public good in that?
Kevvy Whenan has been a Corrections Officer at Port Augusta Prison for 44 years. Recently he was presented with the Australian Corrections Medal in recognition of his long and outstanding service to Correctional Services.
The PSA Review caught up with Kevvy for a chat about his long career and the medal which was recently presented to him by the then South Australian Governor, the Honorable Hieu Van Le AC.
First of all, congratulations on your recognition – how did it feel receiving the medal?
It was really quite humbling. I’m not one for seeking personal accolades but in my mind it’s an award for all the staff; everything we do is a team effort and it makes me really proud of Port Augusta Prison. My background was in electrical fitting and my role was about to shift to Adelaide when an opportunity came up at what was then known as Port Augusta Gaol, and I took it so I could remain
living here. My father-in-law was the Superintendent at the prison many moons ago, so I’ve had a connection with the prison for a long time.
The medal was presented to you by the former Governor, that must have been quite a thrill?
The former Governor is a really incredible man. Inside two minutes you feel like you’ve known him for 20 years. When I got down there to receive the award I thought they’d just pin it on me and that’d be it, but the Governor asked me about motorcyclist Valentino Rossi – I’m a big fan of his – and he asked about my campervan and my bush poetry, and he asked me all this while he was presenting the medal; it was really unexpected and amazing.
When did you start working at Port Augusta Prison and why did you choose such a challenging and dangerous line of work?
A lot of people I knew wondered why I was going to work there. Most people didn’t know anything about prisons – they weren’t as open as they are nowadays. There were lots of ex-military working there, as was my father-in-law – he was Royal Navy over in England. So yeah, lots of very disciplined people and they were really great to work with. Everyone is dependent on each other. Back in my day we didn’t have radios, cameras or personal duress devices; safety has improved so much over the years. But we still have the camaraderie, which is a really great part of working in Corrections.
What role has the union played in improving safety over the years?
Yeah, the union has played a significant part in that, and of course there’s been some natural progression to a safer workplace but definitely, I think without the union the whole system would be a mess.
Your co-workers talk about you being a strong mentor and always encouraging – is that something you focus on or is it just part of your nature?
I think it’s all about the team. No individual is greater than the team and that’s where our strength lies, and it comes back to what I said about unionism – I don’t know where we’d be without it. I suppose I’ve got on well with a lot of staff and when any staff were having issues management would often put them with me as a partner. The job is all about common sense. You learn how to diffuse situations verbally, talking them down, if you like. Just because you put a blue shirt on doesn’t mean you’re six feet tall. You need to use common sense and be calm. That’s the kind of advice I try to pass on to others.
How has the job changed over the years?
I think the safety is the biggest change; it’s so much better now and in some ways things are more automated and
there are more staff than there were in those days. When I started everything was mechanically checked – you were always checking doors and things. It becomes an automatic process and one of the things that happens is that you go home and you’re checking your doors all the time, and when you go into a building you’re looking for the weaknesses, and without realising it you’re summing up people all the time. You have to be so vigilant. Those things haven’t changed too much.
You’re well-known for always showing the prisoners respect. Why is that important?
I was taught to have respect for others, especially your peers and for elderly people, and I’ve never really lost that. Even though some of the crimes prisoners have committed are pretty awful, I think you have to take the view that you’ve got a job to do and you just get on and do it. It’s better not to lower your own dignity. When you work in there you can either make the job hard for yourself or you can do the job properly and earn everyone’s respect, including the prisoners. I have a fairly strong connection with the Aboriginal people, in particular those from the APY Lands, they’re a really good bunch of people. They never forget that you showed them respect and often come up to me in the street to say g’day and ask when I’m retiring and that sort of thing.
Since being elected, the state government has privatised the Remand Centre and been cutting jobs in prisons. Do you have a view about this?
Personally, I think we’ve gone through this benchmarking process and haven’t seen too many positives out of it. I’ve made that clear in meetings. I think they’ve depleted the staff far too much and I think that will come back to bite us.
Have you got any words of advice for people considering a Corrections role?
One of the biggest things is to try not to take the job home. You need time with your family – you must do that. In my case, my rock has been my wife Marilyn. With her dad working in the prison she’s grown up in that environment and understands it. There’s no doubt it’s a challenging role and might not suit everyone, but it can be a very rewarding job if you take the right approach.
Kevvy Whenan retired from the Department of Correctional Services on August 16. The PSA Executive congratulates Kevvy for his 44-year long and successful career at Port Augusta Prison and we wish him well in retirement.
If you’re like most people, it can be hard to know where to start. Having a better understanding of how super works and making some informed decisions can set you on a path to financial wellbeing.
Understand the basics
When you join Super SA, you’re automatically invested into the default Balanced Option in the Triple S Scheme, but there are several investment options available. It’s important to make sure that’s the right option for you.
Take a moment to consider your financial goals and risk profile before you make a decision on your investment choice. If you’re unsure about your risk appetite, visit supersa.sa.gov.au and take our “What Type of Investor Am I?” quiz. This will give you a report on your risk profile that you can download and save for future reference.
Education is key
Super is a long-term investment that grows over time and it’s never too late to start.
At Super SA, we’re committed to helping all of our members understand how super works. Regardless of where you’re at with your super journey we’re here to help. The following steps can help determine if you’re on the right path.
Step 1: Join a free education session
Super SA members can attend our free education sessions via face-to-face seminars and online webinars.
Our education sessions cover topics such as: How much money you may need to retire
• What you can do now to boost your super balance
• How our Income Stream and Post Retirement products work
The different investment options available to you
The ins and outs of insurance through super
• Tax in super, government incentives and more.
To learn how to put your super to work before and after you retire, register for one of our free member education sessions by scanning the QR code on this page.
Step 2: Assess your financial situation
At Super SA, we encourage you to seek professional financial advice on your financial planning needs. You can choose your own financial planner or you can take advantage of the service available through Industry Fund Services (IFS). If you don’t have an existing relationship with a planner, you can contact the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and access their “Find a Planner” service. The financial planners at IFS can advise you about the options available to SA public sector employees.
IFS offer two advice pathways for Super SA members – Limited Advice and Comprehensive Advice.
If you would like to learn more about financial planning, or to make an appointment with an IFS planner, please call the Super SA Advice Administration team on 1300 162 348 or visit supersa.sa.gov.au
The superannuation schemes administered by Super SA are exempt public sector superannuation schemes and are not regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) or the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Super SA is not required to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence to provide general advice about a Super SA product. The information in this publication is of a general nature only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Super SA recommends that before making any decisions about its products you consider the appropriateness of this information in the context of your own objectives, financial situation and needs, read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and seek financial advice from a licensed financial adviser in relation to your financial position and requirements. Super SA has engaged Industry Fund Services (IFS) (ABN 54 007 016 195 AFSL No. 232514) to facilitate the provision of limited scope and comprehensive financial advice to members of the superannuation schemes administered by Super SA. Advice is provided by financial planners who are Representatives of IFS. Fees may apply. Further information about the services can be found in the relevant IFS Financial Services Guide, a copy of which is available from your IFS financial planner. IFS is responsible for any advice given by its Representatives. Super SA does not recommend, endorse or accept responsibility for products or services or products provided or recommended by third-party organisations, including IFS. Super SA does not accept liability for any loss or damage caused by the products and services or products provided or recommended by IFS.
Growing your super could be the answer
Masterchef finalist Callum Hann and accredited dietitian Themis Chryssidis share a delicious recipe that the whole family will enjoy.
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
2 cups reduced-salt chicken stock
½ cup instant polenta
20g parmesan, finely grated
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons extra
1 chorizo, halved and thinly sliced
400g mixed mushrooms, sliced (e.g. button, Portobello, Swiss brown)
1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ bunch chard or spinach, roughly chopped
1 lemon
Method
1. Line a 20cm x 10cm container with baking paper. Bring stock to the boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Gradually add polenta in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Whisk in polenta until well combined. Reduce heat to medium and cook, continuing to whisk constantly, for 4-5 minutes or until thick and smooth. Stir in parmesan. Pour polenta into lined dish and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set.
2. Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook chorizo for 3-4 minutes or until golden and fat has rendered out. Add mushrooms and cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until golden brown all over. Add rosemary and hazelnuts and cook for a minute or until fragrant. Remove from pan and keep warm.
3. Wipe out pan if necessary and return to medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of oil and garlic and cook for one minute or until fragrant. Add chard and cook for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Squeeze over lemon juice.
4. Turn polenta out onto a chopping board and cut into four pieces. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Cook polenta for 1-2 minutes each side or until warmed through. Serve polenta topped with ragu and wilted greens.
Extracted from:
https://www.healthpartners.com.au/health/ mushroom-chorizo-ragu-with-wilted-greensand-polenta
