Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee, , 43:14 to 52:20
Data on voluntary redundancies within the department, including total separation costs, average payment amounts, and position abolishment.
Topics: Public service staffing, Government spending
Speakers: Mr. Tony Cook, Senator Matt O'Sullivan, Mr. Marcus Markovic, Senator Paul Scarr, Senator Marielle Smith, Mr. Craig Boyd
So senator uh in 2526
>> what's the total cost of those redundancies?
>> So the total cost was about 12 million.
>> Uh >> so I would I would say in our annual report we disclose a total cost of all separations of just over 13 million 13.016. So that is the amount we've disclosed which includes some of the additional costs of for example providing people um uh with financial advice as they separate. So there's a difference between the separation payment and there's a minor difference between that the secretary's number and what's in our published statements for that reason.
How many recipients were SCES officers?
>> So none in voluntary redundancies. SCEs are eligible for voluntary redundancy.
>> Sorry.
>> That's okay. A voluntary redundancy is only available to APS staff, not to SCS staff. >> they get incent they get incentive to
retire.
>> Incentive. >> Incentive.
>> Yeah, we heard that. >> We learned that term yesterday.
>> ITR. Yep.
>> Okay. What's the difference?
>> In terms of the contractor arrangements, that's what the difference is. SCS had that available to them. APS has the VR process.
>> What was the largest individual redundancy payment? I don't have that
on. We'll have to take that on notice. We got average senator, but we don't have the largest individual notice. in the actual VR program. So, just just to explain, Senator, there was two. One was a announced VR program. Yeah. >> Where I went out and invited people to apply for VR. >> But we also throughout the year have a normal VR process where people can approach us at any time. >> Oh, okay. So within the VR actual announced VR program, the average payment was $132,000.
>> How many of the abolish positions have subsequently been recreated?
>> Uh would have been none I think because the whole purpose of voluntary redundancy is to abolish the position.
>> I thought so. Yes.
>> Uh a number of these positions were also terminating programs. So the program as you know governments give programs the funding for programs for three, four, five years and then they terminate if those programs aren't extended and so a lot of our work that we were doing is around particular terminating programs.
>> The uh have any of the uh have any of the former employees returned to work for the department as contractors?
>> Uh no, not to my understanding. No, I don't think.
>> Can you not? >> Yeah. No. Okay. Uh how much was spent on
for excuse me last year Senator the 202526 financial year was $17.5 million.
>> Thank you. And what are the net annual savings from the redundancy program after accounting for replacement
>> We might have to take that on not and calculate that one center. Particularly the last bit about after accounting for contractors. I'm >> unless CO can use the calculator and
>> doing it on the fly be better to do it
properly notice detail around that. Uh and and when on on notice, if you could also just to close out my A tech questions, if you could provide a full breakdown of the costs for Ache, including a breakdown of the NPP spending. Y >> want to make sure I understand that properly. And more importantly, the internal budget allocation to the running of a tech both for the current financial year and also over the forwards.
>> Okay, we can do that.
>> Good. just one moment. Uh, do we have some youth corporate?
>> Oh, yeah. I'm happy.
>> Just a reminder, you're not the only one seeking the call in corporate at the
moment. So, I'm not ready. >> We're almost about We're almost about to
finish the section at the start of the
next section.
>> Uh, well, we're going to ask some questions in relation to uh the office of youth. Would we do that in the next outcome
>> in schools? >> Yeah, it's it's in it's in schools and youth. So next outcome it would be great. S
>> and and one one other area I just want to ask where it is the um gender based violence. >> Uh what situation
>> that's in outcome too in higher education. So it'll be later tonight.
>> Um I'll just Yeah, we're good to move on. >> Great. Thank you.
>> Okay. Well, thank you to everyone from corporate. Um we now call officers uh in relation to outcome one and schools. Are they nearby?
>> They'll be downstairs.
>> Okay. So we'll just suspend for a minute All right, welcome back everyone. Just