PSA Media Advisory
24th September 2012
Tough talking expected at PSA conference

The Public Service Association says the Deputy Prime Minister Bill English will be welcomed at its bi-annual conference but he can expect some tough talking from members about the reality of public sector cuts and the government’s management of the public service.

The conference is being held over two days this week (Sept 25-26) and will involve 160 delegates representing 58,000 members who work in the public and state sectors, community public services, district health boards and local government.

It is being held against the backdrop of the government’s Better Public Services Report and on-going budget cuts which have led to widespread restructuring, more than three thousand redundancies, and cutbacks to the quality of public services which New Zealanders rely on.

PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott says PSA delegates will want to acknowledge Mr English for his grasp of the issues and his willingness to engage with the PSA around ways to bring unions, staff and managers together to improve work practices and productivity.

“However I think at the same time they will want to send him a strong message about the reality of public sector cuts on the ground. These are being felt acutely by our members in terms of job losses, unfilled vacancies, unsustainable workloads, loss of expertise, job security concern, and plummeting workplace morale,” she says.

Delegates will also have questions around the government’s State Sector Reform Bill which is the most significant piece of legislation to affect all PSA members since the late 1980s.

Brenda Pilott says “there are some positive aspects of the legislation in terms of promoting a more joined up approach to public service delivery but overall the Bill sends some very worrying signals about how the government intends to manage the state sector workforce.”

The PSA wants to deliver strong, cutting edge public services which are innovative and responsive to all New Zealanders.

“Conference delegates are prepared to listen to Mr English but in return, they, and all PSA members need an assurance that he is listening to them,” Brenda Pilott says.

Bill English will be speaking at the PSA Congress at the Brentwood Hotel in Wellington on Tuesday 25th September at 11.15am and will take questions from the floor. The media is invited to attend.

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