Article: Axe threatens 40% of public transport jobs

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From the Melbourne Age click here!

Axe threatens 40% of public transport jobs

Axe threatens 40% of public transport jobs
Farrah Tomazin
May 13, 2012

VICTORIA'S transport chief has warned that his department could be slashed by up to 40 per cent as the government embarks on the biggest public sector job cuts since the Kennett era.

Hundreds of jobs in the department of transport are expected to go, after senior executives met on Friday to work out how to implement the government's controversial cost-cutting.

While final numbers are yet to be determined, department secretary Jim Betts is believed to have told staff at the meeting that the department's losses could be in the order of ''35 to 40 per cent''.

The department employs around 665 workers, and budget papers show it has to find about $187 million in savings over the next four years, which the government says will be made in ''administrative savings and reductions of non front-line personnel through attrition, non-renewal of contract roles and voluntary departure packages'' over the next two years.

Transport Minister Terry Mulder yesterday refused to say exactly how many workers could lose their jobs, but insisted front-line staff would not be affected.

''We've indicated there will be voluntary redundancy packages over the next two years,'' he said. ''The department secretaries are working with the Department of Transport and Public Transport Victoria and VicRoads to see how those departure packages will be delivered, but it's in line with government policies.''

But the prospect of big cut-backs has riled the public sector union, with state secretary Karen Batt saying it was ludicrous for Mr Mulder to think so many jobs could be shed without affecting front-line operations.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen also raised concerns. ''You'd want to ensure that this doesn't affect the management and planning of the public transport services,'' he said.

Mr Betts did not return calls from The Sunday Age but the department's public affairs director, Kate Eskdale, did not deny that the 35-40 per cent figure was raised in the meeting.

''I can't comment on that,'' she said. ''We did meet to start talking about different strategies and what we might do, but that was an internal meeting, and we're working through how we might make savings. We don't have fixed numbers and fixed plans at this stage - it was really a call for the senior leadership team to look at how we move forward and reduce costs.''

News of the job losses came as the government yesterday announced a $570 million contract for one of its biggest transport projects, the regional rail link.

The contract is the second-last to be awarded for the project, and will cover the track works between the city and the western suburbs.

Construction will involve 4.5 kilometres of new tracks to separate metro and regional trains, three bridge modifications and a one-kilometre rail overpass over the Maribyrnong River.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/axe-threatens-40-of-public-transport-jobs-20120512-1yjs2.html