PSA supports decision to keep West Wyalong Motor Registry open

The PSA welcomes the State Government’s decision to keep the West Wyalong motor registry open following public protests earlier this year.

"We are pleased the decision to maintain services in West Wyalong has been made, but we hope it isn't going to take a public protest in every town to save their motor registries," said PSA Principal Industrial Officer Greg Shaw.

Mr Shaw added public feeling against the closure of the motor registry is consistent with research undertaken on behalf of the PSA over summer, which found that 64 per cent of NSW voters in battleground state seats want to see more public servants providing services in regional areas.

"The State Government and the Opposition, who have both undertaken to cuts thousands of public service jobs in the lead up to the next State election, are yet to tell the public which services will be scrapped," Mr Shaw said.

He added PSA General Secretary John Cahill and President Sue Walsh would highlight these concerns when they launched the PSA's Public Interest: Job Cuts = Service Cuts Queanbeyan and Wagga campaigns next week.

The State Government has undertaken to cut 4000 public service jobs and the Opposition has undertaken to cut 29,000 public service jobs.

According to an Auspoll survey of NSW voters in key marginal seats, conducted for the PSA over summer:

• 41 per cent think there needs to be more staff in rural services, while 23 per cent think there needs to be "much more staff."
• the majority do not believe that the private sector deliver either better quality or more cost effective services than the public sector.
• jobs cuts work against the public interest and are only in the interest of big business.
• they would be less likely to vote for political parties who cut public sector jobs.