State budget delivers housing boost for workers, but unions warn that hiring freeze will ramp up pressure on frontline services

SA Unions welcomes measures in today’s state budget which will make housing more affordable for workers, but caution that a public sector hiring freeze could ramp up pressure on frontline services and impact delivery of the government’s ambitions.

Funding election promises

Secretary Dale Beasley said that it was pleasing to see funding for election promises campaigned for by unions, including measures which will make it easier for working South Australians to afford a home:

• Building 2,000 new Rent-to-Own homes will give thousands of workers a real opportunity to own their own home after years stuck in a cycle where sky-high rents prevent them saving for a deposit.
• For workers who rent, the new Portable Rental Bonds Scheme will ease the financial pressure of moving house by eliminating the need to find thousands of dollars for a new security deposit before the previous one has been refunded.
• The new Pattern Book of pre-approved architectural designs will get homes built faster and help deliver the ‘missing middle’ in our housing market – medium density options in established suburbs which help working South Australians afford to live in communities they love.
• Funding to engage an additional 250 construction trade apprentices on public projects will help curb high apprentice drop-out rates by providing safer, more secure pathways for apprentices to complete their training

These measures align with the detailed housing plan which SA Unions has outlined to tackle the soaring costs and unfair conditions faced by workers who just need a place to live.   

The budget also includes specific mentions to deliver paid reproductive health leave and modernise paid parental leave and long-service leave for workers in the state industrial system

Hiring freeze will ramp up pressure on frontline services 

Beasley also stressed that a strong public service needs both frontline workers and the workers who support them.   

All public servants enable the delivery of frontline services. If support workers are expected to do more with fewer resources, that pressure will flow directly to workers on the front line.  

It remains unclear in the budget papers which roles will be lost and whether the hiring freeze is in addition to reductions in departmental staffing numbers already included in budget calculations. 

The contribution of administrative, operational, payroll, HR, IT and training workers is vital to support frontline services. 

The Government must work with public servants and their unions to understand the operational impacts of staffing cuts and the impact on service delivery, before any jobs are lost.

Quotes attributable to SA Unions Secretary Dale Beasley:

“Housing costs are the biggest pressure facing working South Australians. Workers are at breaking point because private developers, banks, and professional landlords have failed to deliver homes that people can afford. It’s good to see the Government continuing to step up and commit to tackling the housing crisis head-on.” 

“Government investment in housing is the best way to guarantee affordable homes, drive local industry, and secure our future workforce by training more tradies. It’s good to see the Government taking this responsibility seriously and delivering on election promises which will help working South Australians.”

“We are very concerned that proposed cuts to public servants will impact delivery of the Government’s commitments. How will departments like Health, Housing, Skills and Education be able to deliver on the extra work promised in this budget, while they face staffing cuts?”

“Frontline workers don’t operate in a vacuum. Every nurse, police officer, teacher, and paramedic relies on a network of workers who support them to do their job effectively.” 

“Public servants are the backbone of essential services that we rely on to keep South Australians healthy and safe. When roles are frozen or cut, that will ramp up the pressure on frontline workers who will be left doing the same work with less support.”