Grubby Liberal plan to outsource jobs exposed

The Infrastructure Minister, Rene Hidding, has been caught out over a grubby plan to outsource jobs within his department.

Labor Leader Bryan Green revealed in Parliament today that the Minister is preparing to sack 13 people within the Transport Systems Group of State Growth and hand a $3 million contract to a private company.

It follows an unsolicited approach directly to the Minister from Downer Infrastructure to take over the work of the Group, which includes maintaining bridges and traffic signals.

Mr Hidding has attempted to cover up the dodgy process but he has been damned by his own signature on a leaked minute.

During Question Time today Mr Hidding stated:

“I haven’t signed off on any privatisation of any process.”

However, a minute obtained by Labor clearly shows the Minister signed off on a recommendation to:

“Approve in principle the outsourcing of activities undertaken by the Regional Services Team of the Transport Systems Group.”

Mr Green said Mr Hidding’s attempt to explain away the contradiction after Question Time only made matters worse.

“Mr Hidding has clearly misled the Parliament and, by extension, the Tasmanian people over this grubby and secretive plan,” Mr Green said.

“Mr Hidding cannot cover up the fact that his signature is on an official document giving in principle approval to the outsourcing of government jobs.

“Around 13 workers will be forced to fight against a private company to keep their own jobs in an environment where the Minister already believes they should be axed.

“Mr Hidding even went as far as to describe the Group as “anachronistic” – clearly he has made up his mind that these jobs should be outsourced.

Mr Green said the process also gave rise to serious probity concerns.

“This sets a worrying precedent that no government job is safe – particularly if the private sector smells an opportunity to make a dollar from the public purse.

“Everything about this process is dodgy, right down to the hand-written date on the minute, 31 February 2015, which doesn’t exist.

“The Minister has serious questions to answer.”
Bryan Green MP Labor Leader