CLEANERS working for the ACT government are at risk of losing their jobs if they’re from a migrant background, according to Shadow Minister for Business and Employment Andrew Wall.
Mr Wall says the Labor-Greens government intends to terminate all existing cleaning contracts to directly employ cleaners as ACT public servants, supposedly to improve job security.
But, he says, in an Estimates hearing today (June 24), Education Minister Yvette Berry could not guarantee school cleaners from migrant backgrounds would be eligible to keep their jobs.
“To be employed in the public service you have to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident,” Mr Wall says.
“This means many cleaners from refugee or migrant backgrounds may be the first to miss out on permanent employment because of this policy.
“Often refugees or migrants who are new to Australia gain quick employment in cleaning services.
“We should be making it easier to employ migrants and refugees, not harder.”
A spokesperson for Education Minister Yvette Berry says Mr Wall’s assertions were untrue and that the facts had been clarified in the Estimates hearing.
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