GOVERNMENT AXE WILL HIT COUNTRY JOBS AND SLOW REGIONAL ECONOMIES
Back to NewsMedia reports that O\'Farrell Government is planning a 25 per cent cut to the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) in next month\'s budget should ring major alarm bells for rural communities, Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Steve Whan said today.
"The O\'Farrell Government is planning tens of thousands of job cuts to the NSW public service, including cutting the staff of the DPI by an astounding 25 per cent," Steve Whan said.
"When I debated the former Shadow Minister Primary Industries, Duncan Gay before the election he promised to maintain ALL DPI offices and research facilities around NSW - more than 200 offices.
"A 25 per cent cut means jobs lost in local offices, critical research facilities, field positions (like agronomists and rural support workers) and in biosecurity.
"Cuts of this magnitude will mean closures of local offices and devastating job losses in regional communities.
"Depending on how these cuts are directed, they could also put in jeopardy NSW\'s ability to respond to serious biosecurity threats – things like future outbreaks of Equine Influenza or Hendra virus.
"This is a Government characterised by hypocrisy, in Opposition they dismissed any fears of this sort of cuts.
"Now we see the truth – a Government that was willing to say anything in Opposition to get a vote."
"This is a kick in the teeth for rural NSW and a sign that the Liberals and Nationals are already taking some of their strongest supporters for granted," Mick Veitch said.
"These cuts will also result in a significant impact on rural and regional services which provide for local economies.
"This will have a very significant impact on economies right across NSW - it is very clear this was always a part of Barry O\'Farrell\'s plan for the public service.
"This is an outrageous attack on the NSW public service, this is what Liberal and National Governments do – cut jobs, attack the public service and reduce services to rural NSW."