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Facts

  • More than 7 million call NSW home
  • More 84,500 babies are born here each year
  • More than 98,300 move to NSW every year

Threats

  • The public sector workforce in NSW is ageing fast
  • Investment in services is at risk of falling behind community needs
  • More cuts to pubic sector jobs and services

Actions

  • Sign up to the Better State campaign
  • Become a facebook fan of Better Services for a Better State
  • Follow the campaign on Twitter
 
June 17
Tim Ayres's picture
Posted by Tim Ayres

Here in NSW, manufacturing workers build everything from passenger train carriages through to massive naval air warfare destroyers.Support the campaign: www.buildthemhere.com.auSupport the campaign: www.buildthemhere.com.au

But in recent years, more and more of our transport manufacturing contracts have gone to low-cost overseas competitors. 
 


Buses and rail rolling stock, along with all sorts of other heavy equipment, are commonly imported from China in tube or flat-pack form. After they’re shipped over, the skilled NSW tradespeople who used to build these buses and trains from scratch now assemble and fit them out. 
 


This trend puts valuable jobs, skills and apprenticeship opportunities at risk.  
 


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June 9
John Cahill's picture
Posted by John Cahill

The NSW Government’s budget surplus averaging $800 million each year for the next four years would be better spent improving the public services that have been razed by years of cost cutting.

What a waste: we need services not surplusesWhat a waste: we need services not surplusesIf we are to successfully implement the budget’s infrastructure plans and meet projected population increases across NSW, we’ll simply need more public sector workers.

As the NSW economy recovers and major infrastructure projects begin to take off, it is concerning that no efforts are being made by the Government to keep up with demand.

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May 28
John Cahill's picture
Posted by John Cahill

The NSW Government must commit to growing the public sector at next month’s budget if it is to keep up with the demand for essential services.

This is one of the key findings revealed in Keeping Pace: The Impact of Population Growth on NSW Public Services, a report launched at the PSA’s annual conference in Sydney today.

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May 24
Sue Walsh's picture
Posted by Sue Walsh

A decision in the Industrial Relations Commission recently to allow all breastfeeding mothers in the public service lactation breaks and the right to a private space to express milk has been hailed as a breakthrough for women’s rights, and it is hoped more workplaces will follow suit.
Breastfeeding: more milk pleaseBreastfeeding: more milk please

 

 

 

 

 

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1 comment
April 13
Brett Holmes's picture
Posted by Brett Holmes

Kevin Rudd’s massive reform gives context and urgency to our campaign in NSW to win mandated minimum staffing numbers.

The Federal Government’s National Health Reform Plan is politics on a big canvas. It is up there with the introduction of Medicare.

As with anything on this scale we need to hold off on rushing to judgement, all the more so when there is a lot of detail yet to be announced.

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1 comment
April 1
Darin Sullivan's picture
Posted by Darin Sullivan

During our last Award negotiations for NSW firefighters, I sat in a meeting with other FBEU officials, and NSW Treasury.

While discussing the limit placed on public sector wages, we floated one of many ideas that firefighters could implement to save the NSW government millions of dollars in school infrastructure through fire prevention. We suggested that a portion of that could be returned in wages.

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1 comment
March 24
Adam Kerslake's picture
Posted by Adam Kerslake

At the beginning of any campaign things can seem a little bit daunting. After all who are we to tell governments what they should or should not do?

Who are we to tell big business what they can and cannot buy?

My question to you is: if not us then who? That’s exactly how we felt at the start of the Your Rights at Work campaign and look what that achieved.

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2 comments
March 24
Mark Lennon's picture
Posted by Mark Lennon

Launching the Better State campaign in Newcastle today was a great experience.

Nurses, police officers, teachers, council workers and employees of utilities and government departments across the Hunter gathered to kick off a campaign that puts the public services essential to our growing state front and centre.

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March 23
Posted by Kathy Smith

User pays: No public treatment on Central CoastUser pays: No public treatment on Central CoastI’ve been part of a campaign calling for public radiotherapy facilities for the cancer patients of the Central Coast since it was launched in early 2007.

With signs cancer patients on the Central Coast are starting to give up on life-saving treatment because they can’t afford it, this campaign is more important than ever.

Cancer patients on the Central Coast have two options:

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March 18
BetterState's picture
Posted by BetterState

A year out from the State Election, Premier Kristina Keneally and Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell will fight it out in a televised debate on March 25.

This is a chance to put the spotlight on public services. The Daily Telegraph, which is co-hosting the event with Sky News, is inviting questions from readers – particularly those in marginal seats.

Here's what we’d like Kristina Kenneally and Barry O’Farrell to answer:

Will you rule out selling off any more public assets?

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