Coalition warned on public service sackings

By Bill Mason BRISBANE — The Queensland State Public Services Federation has warned the new National-Liberal Coalition government that the union will not tolerate mass sackings or large-scale restructuring. SPSFQ secretary Gordon Rennie said the state's public servants were fearful over job security. "Our members have gone through massive restructuring over the past six years with the Labor government, and the opposition, now the government, has consistently said they would not restructure", Rennie said. "All governments are put on notice by particularly our union that public servants won't cop what we have had to put up with over the last few years." Rennie said the 31,000-member union would not hesitate to campaign against the Coalition if it acted unfairly. Meanwhile, new Labor state opposition leader Peter Beattie accused the government of setting up a "hit list" of senior public servants to be sacked or redeployed. Beattie took over on February 19 after former premier Wayne Goss resigned. Beattie has declared he will adopt an "inclusive" approach to the ALP's work, in preparation for retaking office as soon as possible.