A restructure of NSW Police will potentially see a loss of critical civilian jobs in Police while cuts in National Parks and Disability Services will also impact the Mudgee region, according to the Public Service Association (PSA).
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Acting PSA assistant general secretary, Kym Ward will be meeting workers at Mudgee Local Area Command on Thursday, October 12 to demand the Police Minister stop any possible plans for the amalgamation with Orana.
“We are particularly concerned about the loss of civilian support staff who ensure police are properly equipped to be able to undertake the full range of their duties on behalf for the community,” Mrs Ward said.
The PSA wrote to Minister Troy Grant several weeks ago demanding detail of the restructure - touted the biggest in 20 years - but the Minister has not replied.
“Why is the Minister, who himself is from regional NSW, treating regional employees in Police as second class citizens, leaving them to wait until after this by-election before being told of their future and what that will mean for their families?” she said.
“The National Party must speak up against these cuts and reassure their constituents that police will still have the vital support that allows them to get out of the office and fully serve their communities.”
“As a former uniformed officer, I would have thought Troy Grant would be very well aware of the vital role played by civilian support staff in day to day policing in NSW.
“The local council amalgamations were a disaster and now the Government is using the same failed model for Police, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and many other areas.
In the NPWS, Pest Management Officers (PMO) are another group of staff to be cut in the shakeup, Mrs Ward continued.
“These staff perform a vital role in the control of vertebrae pests, wild dogs, feral pigs, cats, goats, deer and invasive plant species,” she said.
“These highly experienced officers are meant to be preserving our flora and fauna but now find they themselves are on the threatened species list – an appalling 50th birthday present.
“The bushfire season has already started with devastating impact and and if these cuts go through, there simply will not be sufficient experienced staff to contain them,” she said.
“As far as the Government is concerned, Mudgee is out of sight and out of mind when it comes to public services.”