By Melanie Sjoberg
ADELAIDE — The state Liberal government is undertaking an audit of the public sector which promises more cutbacks in jobs and community services. Rumours abound that another 1000 staff are to be cut from the State Bank in the preparation for privatisation, and another 1400 from the Engineering and Water Supply Department as parts of its service are contracted out to the private sector.
In public health, there are concerns that the new case-mix funding, in which hospitals will have itemised budgets for specified services, will mean an increase in the early release of patients without adequate back-up services.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures reveal that South Australia was the only state to have an increase in the level of unemployment (by 0.6%) during the last quarter. Welfare payments in the state increased by $2.8 billion over the last 12 months, according to the Department of Social Security. More than 76,000 people are receiving Jobsearch/Newstart allowances, and a further 26,000 obtain sole parent benefits. Structural unemployment in the Port Augusta-Whyalla and Riverland regions is around 20%.
"The tragedy is that we are talking here about people's lives, the hardship, despair and frustration of not being able to make ends meet, not just numbers and dollars", Trish Corcoran, Adelaide Resistance organiser, told Green Left Weekly.
"There has been an alarming lack of response from most areas of the organised union movement and the welfare sector. We think that it is time to take some action. We want to put this issue on the agenda in a really visible way."
Corcoran added, "It's not just the state government; the federal government is also unable to deal with this crisis. The Commonwealth's training strategy is little more than an attempt to increase downward pressure on wages by increasing competition between job-seekers."
Resistance is organising a rally on Friday, May 6, to highlight demands for real job creation. For more information about the protest, which is part of a National Day of Action, ring Resistance on (08) 231 6982.