Major government cuts loom as Transport for NSW to cut almost 1,000 jobs
Transport secretary Josh Murray announced the cuts in a memo to staff on Wednesday.
"We have to get back to a model that is sustainable for the long term, delivers on our commitments, and provides appropriate career paths for our people," he said.
Areas like communication, procurement, project and business support, government services and technology will be centralised as part of the efficiency measures.
Mr Murray said there would be a reduction of "about 950 TSSM (transport senior service managers) and award positions."
That is in addition to about 300 senior executive roles that have already announced, he said.
Mr Murray said the agency had experienced "significant" growth over the past five years, with a 30 per cent increase in TSSM and award positions.
"This largely occurred during and after the COVID period with 3,000 extra staff appointed," he said.
Mr Murray said he appreciated the news would be "concerning" to many employees and has vowed to consult staff on "strategic objectives and budget targets".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
10 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘Gone from shelves': Popular chip discontinued at Coles, Woolies
A popular Aussie snack has been discontinued 'due to insufficient levels of consumer demand' – leaving fans of the potato chip devastated. Tyrrells was created in England back in 2002, before it began importing the famous chips to Australia 12 years later. Shortly after landing a deal to be sold exclusively at Coles, the UK-based company acquired Yarra Valley Snack Foods, creating the company's first manufacturing facility outside the Herefordshire farm on which it was founded. It spent $6 million importing fryers and spinners to the Victoria-based factory in order to recreate the English 'crisps' using locally farmed potatoes, and even secured a government grant to help expand the Tyrrells operation. But fast-forward 10 years, and Snackbrands Australia – the new name for the umbrella company that manufactures Tyrrells along with a string of other popular chips – has confirmed it will no longer make Tyrrells chips for Australia. 'We always aim to bring delicious snacks to our consumers in line with their needs, however we sadly had to retire the Tyrrells brand from market due to insufficient levels of consumer demand,' a spokesperson told 'We realise that there will always be true lovers of the brand out there, however we need to balance the requirements of our consumers as well as our retail partners when making these tough decisions.' It is understood the factory will continue to produce Tyrrells for its Asia-Pacific markets. Those who had already noticed the cult-chip was missing from Coles and Woolies shelves have shared their disappointment at the brutal axing, describing it as 'really sad news'. 'Gone from their shelves without warning or even clearance tags. Didn't even get a chance to stock up,' ranted one disappointed Aussie on Reddit. 'These were f**king good, made in Australia with Aussie potatoes, and at $3.80 for 165g. Price does what it says, without stupid price hikes and fake offers,' raged another. 'This is really sad news, Tyrells are definitely one of my favourites, especially the cheddar and chive flavour,' shared someone else. Meanwhile one added the news was 'really disappointing', describing Tyrrells as 'the best chips on the shelves'. 'These are the king of chips and I am heartbroken,' mused one more. Snackbrands Australia said Tyrrells fans could find 'great alternatives' in its range, suggesting its Kettle and Natural Chip Company brands. 'For anyone still keen to get their hands on Tyrrells, they will continue to be sold for the foreseeable future in certain Harris Farm outlets,' the spokesperson added. Coles and Woolworths both confirmed to the brand was no longer on sale in its stores.
News.com.au
33 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Brighton waterfront: Poker player's $30m+ mansion buy revealed
Brighton's rumour mill is in overdrive after a more than $30m property deal involving a philanthropic poker player, wild storms and close to 60m of the suburb's waterfront. A sprawling, more than 3800sq m address in the elite Bayside suburb has sold after a marathon, two-year sales effort. And with the buyer already owning another similarly-sized waterfront address two doors down, locals and industry insiders are wondering if there might be a chance they are looking go collect a combined 1.14ha along the high-end suburb's waterfront. The recently sold house was listed on behalf of the family of late developer Bruce Terry and his wife Judith, seeking as much as $50m, since 2023. Records show it now has a caveat on it in the name of Pamela Colman, wife to lawyer, MCS Property developer, philanthropist and poker player Julius. The pair already own another waterfront home a few doors down, which has Brighton locals and market watchers wondering whether the owner of the property in between the two addresses has been, or will be, approached. Listing agents Kay & Burton's Ross Savas and Alex Schiavo declined to comment on the sale, or to confirm a price, though it was recently listed with a $39.9m-$41.5m asking price before being removed from online portals. However Brighton insiders believe the deal would have been below $40m and potentially closer to $30m — though still likely setting a record. Those same insiders noted storm activity had felled a number of large trees on the block a few months back, potentially providing benefits for the next owners plans for the site — which had widely been expected to get a multimillion-dollar renovation after it sold. Sales records show Brighton's current top house price was set by a waterfront Seacombe Grove mansion, sold by the family of late 7-Eleven Australia co-owner Beverley Barlow, for $31.6m in 2022. Morrell and Koren buyer's agent David Morrell said after its initial ambitions, he believed a more 'sensible' price had been paid for the newly sold home — though did not have an exact figure. However, Mr Morrell said that if the buyers hadn't already struck an agreement with the home between the two mansions — collecting the set could now be tricky. Combined, the two properties now owned by the Colmans would now span more than 7000sq m, and due to the shape of the blocks mean they now own almost all of the waterfront between the two addresses. A review of Google Maps puts the bay facing property line close to 60m long. If they are able to add the third residence, it would top 1.13ha, making it one of the biggest residential Brighton holdings — and likely the biggest with water frontage. It is not known if that is the Colman family's intention. But such a gambit might appeal to Mr Colman, who in addition to working as a property developer, has played poker on the international circuit. He has reportedly tipped his winnings into the Colman Foundation charity, which supports the education of disadvantaged kids around Melbourne and Victoria. It's a cause he became passionate about after moving to Melbourne from Poland as a refugee aged four, following World War II. His philanthropic efforts have been recognised with an Order of Australia medal. Mr Morrell said the Brighton sale was one of relatively few notable transactions this winter, with Melbourne's top end 'the slowest I have seen it'. While he wasn't ruling out a rise in more impressive residences hitting the market in October and November, he said he wasn't expecting a great deal to hit the market between now and September — largely due to global trade tensions and wars creating concerns about the financial stability needed to underpin such deal.
News.com.au
36 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Demoted Liberal senator pushes indexation cap on Labor's HECS Bill
Demoted Liberal senator Sarah Henderson is pushing for an indexation cap on Labor's student debt-slashing Bill. Central to Labor's re-election pitch, it was the first piece of legislation the Albanese government introduced when parliament resumed last week. NewsWire understands it did so confident the Coalition would back it in, despite opposition posturing that it was not guaranteed. Sussan Ley and her education spokesman Jonno Duniam have since publicly signalled they would pass it as is, making Senator Henderson yet another Coalition backbencher to break from the party line on a key issue. 'This is a proposal for a HECS loan inflation guarantee, so effectively saying that HECS should not be above 3 per cent indexation,' Senator Henderson told Sky News on Monday. 'We've seen student debt completely run out of control under Labor. 'It's been an absolute fiasco, which is why they brought forward their student debt discount. 'At one stage, it was close to 16 per cent increase, and even after the change in indexation, it's still 14.3 per cent up since Labor was elected.' Senator Henderson was opposition education spokeswoman under Peter Dutton but banished to the back bench in the new Coalition front bench under Ms Ley. She said she put her indexation policy forward before the May 3 election but it ended up on the 'cutting room floor' – a decision she labelled 'regrettable'. 'I did actually propose this in the lead up to the last election,' Senator Henderson said. 'I've been talking to my colleagues, I've received a very positive response. 'So I'm hoping that we'll go through our ordinary party room processes, but I'm very much hoping that this amendment will get the support not just of the Coalition, but also of the parliament.' However, she said the opposition should not vote against Labor's Bill. The Bill would cut student debts by 20 per cent for some 3 million graduates, or wipe off $5500 from the average debt. The changes would also raise the repayment threshold for student loans from $54,000 to $67,000. Unless members of the Coalition back her amendments, Senator Henderson will have a hard time getting her changes off the ground. The Greens have ruled out working with her, with the minor party's education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi saying on Monday that the 'Coalition and Sarah Henderson are no friends of higher education'. Senator Faruqi has blasted the Bill for not going far enough. But with support from the Coalition, whether the Greens back it matters little to getting through the Upper House.
