Latest news with #CommunityandPublicSectorUnion
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Museum boss ‘disappointed' at media leaks as union questions Titanic hires
The union representing Museums Victoria workers has demanded answers about hiring processes as the institution's chief executive expressed disappointment at leaks to The Age about links between new hires and senior personnel. The Age on Monday revealed that Museums Victoria had revised its hiring policies after anti-corruption agencies investigated whistleblower allegations it skirted public sector rules when it appointed staff who had personal connections with senior executives as part of a hiring surge during the Titanic exhibition. In response, the Community and Public Sector Union wrote to Museums Victoria on Monday, demanding it explain its hiring processes, and whether staff were disadvantaged by it. The union, which is negotiating a new pay deal, also demanded to see 'the criteria or processes used to identify, assess and appoint candidates' during the Titanic exhibition held at Melbourne Museum, and asked whether any of the positions filled at this time 'were later extended or converted to ongoing roles'. The appointments were part of a recruitment drive during the blockbuster Titanic exhibition, which ran from December 2023 to April 2024 and was the museum's most popular touring show since 2016. Loading The success of the exhibition prompted senior management to extend exhibition hours and argue that existing staff were too stretched – necessitating the urgent hiring of extra visitor engagement officers and retail assistants. The roles were not publicly advertised, and no formal interviews were conducted. One former employee said retail and visitor officer jobs at the museum were highly sought after and often attracted hundreds of applications. The hiring round recruited nine people in all – eight of whom had personal connections to senior staff, including some with links to the family of chief operating officer Sean Royal, who already had two daughters working at the museum.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
Museum boss ‘disappointed' at media leaks as union questions Titanic hires
The union representing Museums Victoria workers has demanded answers about hiring processes as the institution's chief executive expressed disappointment at leaks to The Age about links between new hires and senior personnel. The Age on Monday revealed that Museums Victoria had revised its hiring policies after anti-corruption agencies investigated whistleblower allegations it skirted public sector rules when it appointed staff who had personal connections with senior executives as part of a hiring surge during the Titanic exhibition. In response, the Community and Public Sector Union wrote to Museums Victoria on Monday, demanding it explain its hiring processes, and whether staff were disadvantaged by it. The union, which is negotiating a new pay deal, also demanded to see 'the criteria or processes used to identify, assess and appoint candidates' during the Titanic exhibition held at Melbourne Museum, and asked whether any of the positions filled at this time 'were later extended or converted to ongoing roles'. The appointments were part of a recruitment drive during the blockbuster Titanic exhibition, which ran from December 2023 to April 2024 and was the museum's most popular touring show since 2016. Loading The success of the exhibition prompted senior management to extend exhibition hours and argue that existing staff were too stretched – necessitating the urgent hiring of extra visitor engagement officers and retail assistants. The roles were not publicly advertised, and no formal interviews were conducted. One former employee said retail and visitor officer jobs at the museum were highly sought after and often attracted hundreds of applications. The hiring round recruited nine people in all – eight of whom had personal connections to senior staff, including some with links to the family of chief operating officer Sean Royal, who already had two daughters working at the museum.
Sydney Morning Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Symes' budget baby steps no match for her fast spending
When Jaclyn Symes was sworn in as Victorian treasurer, she signalled the state's finances were under new management. To the consternation of the Community and Public Sector Union, she brought in a Baillieu-era public service chief, Helen Silver, to find ways to shrink a bloated public service. To the welcome surprise of people long concerned by the opaque methods used to account for the expenditure of public money in Victoria, she promised to have a hard look at how things were being done inside her own department. In her plain speaking, born-in-Benalla way, Symes sounded serious about improving Victoria's budget processes and fiscal position. When it came to delivering her first budget, Victoria's new treasurer reverted to type. Loading Gifted an unexpected GST windfall in March, she spent the lot before her budget made it to the printers. The extra $3.7 billion barely lasted two months in her hands. Symes took over responsibility for the state's coffers shortly after long-serving treasurer Tim Pallas handed down his final budget update last December. In the five months since then, enough extra dosh came in from federal government grants to leave the state's sagging bottom line $2 billion better off. Instead, the government found a way to spend all this and more, with $3.1 billion in new funding initiatives going to free public transport for kids, more beds in juvenile prisons, more money for school excursions, support for victims of family violence and farmers doing it tough.
The Age
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Symes' budget baby steps no match for her fast spending
When Jaclyn Symes was sworn in as Victorian treasurer, she signalled the state's finances were under new management. To the consternation of the Community and Public Sector Union, she brought in a Baillieu-era public service chief, Helen Silver, to find ways to shrink a bloated public service. To the welcome surprise of people long concerned by the opaque methods used to account for the expenditure of public money in Victoria, she promised to have a hard look at how things were being done inside her own department. In her plain speaking, born-in-Benalla way, Symes sounded serious about improving Victoria's budget processes and fiscal position. When it came to delivering her first budget, Victoria's new treasurer reverted to type. Loading Gifted an unexpected GST windfall in March, she spent the lot before her budget made it to the printers. The extra $3.7 billion barely lasted two months in her hands. Symes took over responsibility for the state's coffers shortly after long-serving treasurer Tim Pallas handed down his final budget update last December. In the five months since then, enough extra dosh came in from federal government grants to leave the state's sagging bottom line $2 billion better off. Instead, the government found a way to spend all this and more, with $3.1 billion in new funding initiatives going to free public transport for kids, more beds in juvenile prisons, more money for school excursions, support for victims of family violence and farmers doing it tough.
West Australian
12-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Massive prison boost will bring more beds, staff
More than $700 million will be set aside in next week's state budget as one state government plans for increased demand thanks to new, tougher bail laws. The Victorian government passed laws earlier in May to make it harder for alleged offenders to be granted bail. On Tuesday, the state government is expected to announce next week's budget will invest $727 million to ramp up capacity across the prison and justice system. Almost 1000 additional adult prison beds will open across the system and an additional 88 beds will open at youth justice centres at Cherry Creek and Parkville. The announcement also includes amendments to the Corrections Act to crack down on prisoners who assault and injure custodial staff. The changes mean any prisoner convicted of assaulting and injuring staff can expect additional prison time on top of their existing sentence. In a statement, a state government spokesperson said community safety came first in Victoria, and there are consequences for breaking the law. "Our tough new bail laws mean more people charged with serious offenders are going to jail. That's why we need to open more prison beds now," the spokesperson said. "We have zero tolerance for prisoners who assault our staff. Our new laws make the consequences clear." Community and Public Sector Union secretary Karen Batt said despite more beds being brought online, there aren't enough staff to operate them, leading to concerns about safety and security. The budget allocation of $700 million for prison beds is a positive step, she said, but more collaboration was needed with the government to ensure the funds are used effectively. "This is the response we called for arising from the bail changes, but we also need to address continuing violence ... and the dismissive response from the Department of Justice hierarchy to these ongoing assaults inside to get existing officers confident to come back to work," Ms Batt told AAP.
