Sydney (NSW Government Media Release, 14 Feb 2023); Chris Minns needs to come clean with NSW voters and explain the cost of his plan to remove the public sector wage cap and open up more than $47 billion in employee expenses.
Today he told 2GB that other Labor states got it right on their wages policy.
“For example, in Victoria at the moment the Victorian Government just struck a deal with nurses at 3%, the South Australian Government struck a deal with nurses at 3% and paramedics at 2.5%. The Western Australian Government struck a deal at 3% plus 0.5%” Chris Minns, 2GB 14.2.23
The Liberals and Nationals legislated wages cap is:
- 3% base
- 0.5% for productivity
- Can give higher pay rises if employee related productivity and savings are found
If Chris Minns says the Liberals plan is the right one, why does he want to remove the wages cap that controls 41 per cent of the NSW Budget?
What secret deal has he done with NSW unions and why can’t he tell voters how much it will cost?
Today on 2GB he confirmed his plan to blow the budget by giving unions a pay rise regardless of productivity gains, watering down the strong financial management of the NSW Liberals.
Ben Fordham:
If there are no productivity savings or productivity gains, I should say, there’ll be no pay rises?
Chris Minns:
Well, we need to make sure that there’s a deal and a negotiation on the table. And I’ve spoken to the leaders of trade unions, as well as ordinary members for essential workers right across the state.
NSW voters cannot trust anything Chris Minns says on wages.
In April 2022 he said the NSW Labor wage plan would keep pace with inflation. NSW Treasury provided factual information on the budget implications of different wages and inflation assumptions. This shows that if wages increase in line with current inflation forecasts this would blow a $8.6 billion hole in the NSW Budget.
Chris Minns: “Well, we certainly want to move to a system where we can negotiate with our own employees if we were elected to the Government of New South Wales in March 2023, that means paying a lot more than 2.5%. It means obviously keeping pace with inflation.” 22.4.22 doorstop
Yesterday he back flipped on this promise.
Chris Minns: “And, you know, we’ve been talking about lifting the wages cap for over a year. And I’ve never said and never made it part of Labor pitch that we will be able to fund wage increases to inflation.” – 13.2.23 doorstop
Question Would you change the wage cap or would you scrap it altogether?
NSW voters deserve the truth on something that impacts $47 billion.
What infrastructure projects will NSW Labor cut?
Their economic mismanagement will stall NSW and take us backwards.
You only need to see what the former Labor Government did when they last had control of the budget – a $30 billion back log of infrastructure.
Former Labor minister Frank Sartor explained it best:
“Because of union control of the Labor government, a very significant economic rent was being paid to NSW public sector workers.”
“This annual extra cost severely restricted the government’s capacity to fund vital infrastructure projects, such as new rail links.”
Former Labor minister Frank Sartor – The Fog on the Hill
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