What is ethical practice in the social, community and disability sector? How can we be at the core of structural change in our society? This September we’re inviting you to join our special live discussion on ethical practice in the community and disability sector led by Dr John Falzon. John Falzon is a senior fellow in inequality and social justice at Per Capita and was national CEO of the St Vincent de Paul Society for over 10 years. Register and join us here. ASU Career Launchpad live webinar - Ethical Practice in the Community and Disability Sector Tuesday 1pm 28th September 2021 QLD / VIC / NSW / TAS: 1pm-2pm SA and NT: 12.30pm-1.30pm WA: 11am-12pm Presented by Dr John Falzon, Per Capita Register for your spot here. In this special event we will discuss the need for structural change in our society, how ‘being there for each other’ as professional workers in the community and disability sectors is about both social service and social struggle. Don’t miss out RSVP here.
You should be recognised and celebrated for the essential role you play. We know the world class education Queensland students receive would not happen without you. It’s time to celebrate you! That’s why each year Together promotes School Support Staff Recognition Week. Some members may be celebrating this week! This week was the original date, however, due to the recent COVID outbreaks your ability to gather and celebrate may have been hampered – so we are relaunching School Support Staff Recognition Week for the last week of Term: 13-17 of September, 2021. Change your social media profile picture, download a poster, get together and celebrate! Your work is essential. It’s time to be recognised! During School Support Staff Recognition Week your union delegates will also host some online forums you can join to hear from delegates and members across the state – more on that soon. Another way to celebrate the work that you do is by entering the QSuper SSSRW 'ThankQ' Competition! Nominate your colleagues, have your colleagues nominate you. ThankQ – Enter Now! Thanks to the excellent support of QSuper this year there is also a wonderful competition that you can enter – or nominate a colleague for! This competition is specifically for school support staff. Here are the details: Join in the celebrations for this year’s School Support Staff Recognition Week with a chance to win one of seven prize packs valued at $500 for your school and a $100 voucher for the nominee. To enter, in 25 words or fewer: Share with us a moment when a school support worker made education happen. The competition is open to school support staff within the Queensland Department of Education, and includes Schools Officers, Administration Officers, Science Technicians, School Business Managers or IT Technicians to name a few. Entries close at 11.59pm on Friday, 3 September 2021. Winners will be announced on Monday, 13 September 2021.
The Queensland government has announced new budget principles as part of the state budget. In a significant reform, after lobbying and pressure from union members, the government has moved away from a previous budget principle (Principle 6), which limited the growth in staffing levels to population growth. This budget principle had seen the number of the public servants reducing, as the growth of Queensland Health employment was higher than population growth. It was important that our health system grew to meet demand but it should not have been at the expense of the rest of the sector. This budget principle was also resulting in departments increasing the use of labour-hire arrangements as a way around the budget principle. The budget papers state that: A narrow focus on FTEs could also create perverse incentives for agencies to outsource services at higher cost to the state. This change shows that the government has listened to public servants and your union on the need for reform on how the sector is managed. This is an important reform which should see an appropriate focus on services to the community rather than an obsession with staffing levels and how they are reported (or mis-reported) by the Courier-Mail. Recruitment freeze concerning However the government has announced the creation of 'the Pool' and a new revised process for establishment management, to be led by the Public Service Commission. The Treasurer has been reported as announcing a continuation of the public service recruitment freeze. Together is gravely concerned that the these two announcements will result in a de facto process of natural attrition with the public service for positions not considered 'frontline.' Together has sought an urgent meeting with the Public Service Commission so we can be briefed on what these announcements will mean for members. We have also sought urgent clarification from the Treasurer on the announcements and confirmation that the government's policy in relation to public service employment level remains consistent to the commitments given by the ALP to the Queensland community and the Queensland public service prior to last year's state election.