Senator Seselja is engaging in the dubious strategy of trying to convince a public service mid-mutilation that Labor was going to do the same anyway:
“Whilst running an entire campaign focussed on supposedly saving jobs, Labor was cutting jobs behind Canberrans’ backs,” stated Senator Seselja. “Labor members blatantly lied to the people of Canberra.”
Labor’s cuts were largely unfunded, forcing a large number of departments and agencies to offer redundancies for which they were not funded and which has pushed some of them into operating losses.
“Not only did the former government lie about their job cuts, they irresponsibly also failed to ensure that departments could continue to meet their budgets.”
“The former Labor Government has done extensive damage to Australia’s fiscal budget line and thrown our local economy in to disarray by creating instability and uncertainty. Local Labor members have shown unashamed disrespect for Canberrans and their livelihoods,” concluded Senator Seselja.
UPDATE: The ABC has a story on a freeze to sackings as the Government assimilates the existing cuts.