Vic: Administrative jobs the cost of extra education funding

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2000
Vic: Administrative jobs the cost of extra education funding

MELBOURNE, April 17 AAP - Hundreds of administrative jobs within the Department of
Education could be slashed in the coming state budget, the Community and Public Sector
Union (CPSU) said today.

The union said a government announcement that schools would be exempt from a 1.5 per
cent productivity saving meant the cuts had to come from administration.

CPSU Victorian secretary Karen Batt said the union had been told the saving of around
$20 million would cost about 526 jobs.

She said the success of the government's $100 million jobs program announced today
was dependent on an administrative base.

In addition, a secret report prepared by consultants KPMG for the former Kennett government
recommended a further $15 million cut - which would cost about 395 jobs.

"The scale of the cuts inflicted by the Kennett government on the Victorian public
service is such that the possibility of `fat' is laughable and these further cuts can
only mean extensive job losses," Ms Batt said in a statement.

"An effective central administration is needed to minimise waste and make optimal use
of these additional resources (in the TAFE sector)."

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KEYWORD: BUDGETVIC EDUCATION

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