We know how brutal and insensitive the O’Farrell Government can be and now the cracks are starting to appear. THE O’FARRELL government has burned through 35 per cent of its staff since coming to office. We agree with John Buchanan, the director of the Workplace Research Centre at Sydney University’s Business School, who rightly states “something is seriously wrong when any staff turnover was so high. This says a lot about the failings of so-called tough management.
Barry’s brain drain as staff exit
THE O’FARRELL government has burned through 35 per cent of its staff since coming to office, leading to fears the jobs crisis could damage good government.
From April 1 until June 1, the O’Farrell government has had 59 of its 167 ministerial staff quit – chiefs of staff, policy advisers, spin doctors, secretaries and researchers to the Premier and 21 ministers.
This is a turnover rate of 35 per cent in just 14 months – far higher than Australian Bureau of Statistics “Labour Mobility” averages for professionals and managers.
Turnover for managers was 9.2 per cent, and 13.4 per cent for professionals. The turnover in the O’Farrell government is greater than among sales staff and labourers, which average 27 per cent per year. And more have quit since June.
Michael Pelly, the media adviser to Attorney-General Greg Smith, is the latest staffer to exit, quitting this week.
Embattled Environment Minister Robyn Parker, who came under fire for her handling of the Orica Chemical spill last year, has lost 10 staff, as has Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson.
“There is nothing unusual about this. In a new government, it’s quite normal for a number of staff to be employed for the transition,” a government spokesman said.
“They leave as new full-time staff come on board.”
John Buchanan, the director of the Workplace Research Centre at Sydney University’s Business School, said something was “seriously wrong” when any staff turnover was so high.
The figures were supplied to Labor opposition upper house MP Walt Secord after he asked each minister to provide details of staff departures.
He claimed it showed a “crisis of morale” in the O’Farrell government.
Interesting and sadly the big bullies remain in place, for example the Health minister Jillian Skinner… it should be the other way around! Shows how truly evil some of these left-overs are.
I had dealings with Mr Callachor before the change of government .
He fobbed me off and wasn’t interested and I will find the various letters he sent me.
It does seem that whomever is in power, lacks the foresight or lacks sense. Until such time a legal law and framework is in place made by the courts ( both federal and state ) then no matter what is written down by employers these bullies still thrive in the workplace and are not made accountable for their own toxic actions.