Vaile flogs Aussie jobs O.S.

Date: 17 August 2004

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has today slammed a statement from Trade Minister Mark Vaile that opens the door for the offshoring of government work.

According to a report in today's Australian  newspaper, the Departments of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Communications, IT and the Arts have all signalled they have no objections to taking work overseas.

Mr Vaile also signalled the Government's support for Telstra's controversial offshoring arrangements with Infosys and Satyam. CPSU national secretary Adrian O'Connell said that the offshoring of government services could "profoundly change the Australian economy and community" and said that Mr Vaile's statements underlined the need for a national inquiry into outsourcing IT services.

"We are alarmed that the minister appears to be hawking offshoring door to door as a cure-all like some travelling salesman and encouraging overseas interests to undercut Australian workers," he said.

"If the Government is fair dinkum about supporting Australian jobs it should be consulting the people affected by offshoring and investigating the long-term implications."

Mr O'Connell said moving government IT services abroad would not only threaten jobs but would also have severe implications for the privacy and security of information held by the government about Australian citizens. "If our 'muscle' jobs go and then our 'mind' jobs go, what will be left," he said.

"Are we just going to become the world's biggest golf course or theme park," said Mr O'Connell.

For further comment:

Paul Ingwersen, Secretary, CPSU Communications Division, 0408 395 940

For background information:

http://australianit.news.com.au/articles/0,7204,10466874%5E15306%5E%5Enbv%5E,00.html

http://www.cpsu.org.au/site/editorial/1079391070_32244.html

For further information

Contact:	Paul Ingwersen
Union:	CPSU Secretary,
Phone:	1300 137 636
Contact Mobile:	0408 395 940
Email:	Paul.Ingwersen@cpsu.org.au
WWW:	www.cpsu.org.au

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