Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

I am aware of such claims by both the CPSU and Senator Cameron, who claim records management outsourcing at Centrelink could lead to job losses. The outsourcing of records management at Centrelink was in fact set in train under Labor and will not lead to job losses. As far as other outsourcing is concerned, I can inform the Senate that the CPSU has used its own members' money to outsource to a private election company the ballots for protected action both at the Department of Human Services and Department of Veterans' Affairs. This is unbelievable given that the Public Servants at the Australian Electoral Commission could easily and would normally have conducted both ballots. To quote a letter from an AEC employee: 'CPSU members in the AEC are really annoyed at this slap in the face from their union. Some have resigned in protest. There is no excuse for this hypocrisy.' (Time expired)