Release: WA Taxpayers Ripped Off To Protect Bureaucrats

The Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance (ATA), a 75,000+ member grassroots advocacy group representing the nation's taxpayers, today condemned a workplace deal between the WA branch of the Community and Public Sector Union and the WA government as unfair to hardworking taxpayers across the state. The deal imposes further restrictions on the state government's ability to contract out work.

"This deal rips off hardworking Western Australian taxpayers to protect bureaucrats by trying to prevent the government from contracting work out to the private sector when it can be done more cheaply and efficiently." said Satya Marar, ATA Director of Policy.

"It's easy for the McGowan government to bankroll a public sector 'work for the dole' scheme because they aren't spending their own money, they're spending ours. No private company representing its shareholders' interests would stand for such a condition.

"Conditions like these will only make public services and projects more expensive, more delayed, less effective and less efficient. These protections come at the expense of families and businesses who pay the government's bills with their taxes. Taxpayers expect their government to act in their best interests and not those of special interests including the bureaucrats' union.

"Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnson says he's pleased with the deal and that the state couldn't function without the public sector. If this were true, then conditions that prevent the public sector from competing with private service providers wouldn't be necessary.

"With politicians constantly telling us that we need to tighten our belts and concerns about public sector projects already running well over their expected cost, this move by the McGowan government does not inspire confidence."