OVER 100 members of the Public Service Association (PSA) and the wider Dubbo community gathered at the RSL Club to hear from candidates for the March 2019 State Election.
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Independent Matthew Dickerson, Labor candidate Stephen Lawrence and Nationals candidate Dugald Saunders took part in the forum hosted by the PSA.
PSA general secretary Stewart Little said the event was really successful.
“We had over 100 people there, from the general community who wanted to hear what the candidates had to say, and members of the PSA who have a diverse range of jobs including delegates from the Wellington prison, civilian employees, child protection workers and a few from the National Parkes.
“The main issue was regional jobs.
“Despite being insulated a little in the regional areas, we still need a commitment from politicians for regional employment because of the role they play in the economy, and our members are calling for this commitment,” Mr Little said.
Mr Little said while the candidates were supportive, the PSA would be having a look at their policies and the policies of their parties ahead of the election.
“The candidates can support jobs in regional areas, but we also need the mainstream parties to commit to it as well and the current government has brutalized the public sector through their privatization.”
We are calling on the government to commit to jobs in regional towns such as Dubbo, where these jobs are critical to the economic well-being and the services they provide to the community.
- PSA general secretary Stewart Little
In a statement the PSA said in Dubbo alone there had been many jobs lost over the past five years.
They listed a 20 per cent cut at the Taronga Conservation Society, with 20 jobs gone and a 25 per cent cut to the environment sector overall among others including cuts to the NSW Industrial Relations unit in Dubbo, the State Emergency Service and Juvenile Justice.
“We are calling on the government to commit to jobs in regional towns such as Dubbo, where these jobs are critical to the economic well-being and the services they provide to the community,” Mr Little said.
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