Local MPs Andrew Leigh, Gai Brodtmann and Senator Kate Lundy are jointly pointing out the turmoil in the Public Service locally in the wake of staff at the Department of Human Services (DHS) voting to pursue industrial action in protest against the Government’s below-inflation wage offer.

“The Government is trying to force the department’s 35,000 staff to accept longer working hours and reduced conditions in return for a pay offer that will see their real wages decline over time,” Andrew said.

The parliamentarians have pointed out that at the same time as its cuts are disrupting services at DHS, the Abbott Government is also slashing CSIRO’s research staff by a further 75 people as part of its rolling redundancy program.

“These positions will be cut from research projects across the manufacturing, agriculture and digital productivity streams. The Government hacked $140 million from CSIRO’s budget in May, and up to 700 staff will leave this vital research agency in the next two years,” Gai said.

They will join more than 7,200 public servants who have been made redundant in Canberra this year alone.

Kate Lundy said the Abbott Government’s cuts have seen the total Commonwealth workforce shrink by 1.7 per cent across Australia, with one in 11 public servants in Canberra forced from their jobs.

“The Australian Public Service simply cannot continue to operate effectively when staff are being sacked in droves and those left behind are forced to battle for their most basic workplace entitlements,” said Ms Brodtmann.

“ACT Liberal Senator Zed Seselja needs to take this message directly to his boss, Tony Abbott: the public service can’t cope with the chaos caused by his government’s cuts,” said Dr Leigh.