The Community and Public Sector union says it is in shock after revelations the State Government has told federal welfare authorities it plans to sack 1,700 public servants.
The ABC has learnt the State Government informed Centrelink in writing yesterday that about 1,700 public servant jobs would be cut.
The union’s Tom Lynch says that number was never official.
“In the past what the Premier was saying was savings need to be made to the equivalent of 1,700 employees,” he said.
Mr Lynch says it is now apparent the figure refers to full-time job cuts.
“The Government has its heart set on getting rid of 1,700 public sector workers, rather than simply making budget savings.”
Mr Lynch says the Government has previously indicated saving measures around cars and phones would mean fewer than 1,700 job losses.
The State Government has told public sector bosses to cut their budgets by 10 per cent this year.
The Tasmanian Government has rejected the union’s claims.
• Earlier: The upheaval in Health
The senior Tasmanian health bureaucrat charged with overseeing a 10 per cent cut to the mental health budget has resigned from the job.
Dr John Crawshaw is set to take over as New Zealand’s Director of Mental Health in November.
Tasmania’s Mental Health Council is warning the resignation creates uncertainty for the sector.
The council’s Michelle Swallow says Dr Crawshaw had been working on major policy reforms and she is shocked and disappointed.
“He’s put in place a number of pretty strong policy platforms so we’ve been waiting for some of those to be rolled out and some money to be put to them,” she said.
“We’re really not sure what it might mean in terms of cuts and whether the next person will continue to carry forward with some of those plans and some of that way of working.
“I had no idea that that’s what he was planning and I’m just a little concerned because we don’t know what that might mean for services and the mental health sector in the future.”
Meanwhile, the Government has appointed a new secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Matthew Daly replaces Alice Burchill who has been acting in the role since the departure of David Roberts.
