Labor stands for safe, secure, and well-paid jobs, while the Liberal-Lambie coalition is cutting jobs from public services.

RTI documents obtained by Labor show the Department of Police, Fire and Emergency Management will be forced to axe at least 78 jobs because of the Liberal-Lambie budget cuts.

According to the documents, positions in areas like radio dispatch—which handle calls to the triple zero line—will be cut, along with jobs in information services, workshop, maintenance, forensic science, and prosecutions. The documents also raise the prospect that some bushfire reduction programs might cease.

The positions facing the axe under the Liberal-Lambie cuts are vital to our emergency services’ ability to keep Tasmanians safe. As the RTI outlines, cutting these jobs will simply “necessitate transfer of front-line resources into support roles”.

In a stunning assessment, the Department have also acknowledged the dangerous impacts of the Liberal-Lambie cuts, including “psycho-social hazards brought about by increased workloads”, and reduced availability of emergency services with first responders redeployed to fill the gaps.

Our already stretched police, fire and emergency management personnel do an incredible job in difficult circumstances.

Why should they, and all Tasmanians be the ones to suffer because the Liberals have wrecked the budget?

Tasmania can’t afford the Liberal-Lambie Coalition cuts.

Dean Winter
Labor Leader