Wednesday, 30 July 2025

Health workforce

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:25): (978) My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, I refer to the VAGO report released today Delivering Savings Under the COVID Debt Repayment Plan. I ask: why did DTF not require departments to define frontline workers or show how they applied this definition in their plans?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:25): I thank Mr Davis for his question in relation to the VAGO report that has been tabled in the last couple of hours. In relation to the reference to there being no definition of frontline workers, the savings and efficiency initiatives that were implemented across government had a focus on back-of-office and corporate operations, which has been confirmed by VAGO as exactly what happened. The government chose that path, and it is something that I have been quite public about, particularly in relation to asking Helen Silver to do a complementary review to this type of work. We are on the side of frontline services, and we are very, very clear in relation to wanting to support them.

A change to frontline workers at DEECA identified in the report relates to a reallocation of positions. I just want to point out that, in relation to that particular issue, it resulted in a net increase. While departments will use VAGO’s recommendations to improve processes, the report reinforces that we have made responsible fiscal decisions and backed frontline workers. I put back to you, Mr Davis, that VAGO have not suggested a definition for frontline workers in their report, but they have indicated that we have done what we said we would do, and that was protect frontline workers.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:26): With respect, that is not quite what the Auditor said. The Auditor said:

Without a clear statement of who … frontline workers are, it is difficult for the public to know whether those workers have been affected by savings.

The review further said:

Departments primarily used restructures to deliver their savings. Their restructure proposals did not always … exclude frontline workers because they did not distinguish between frontline and back-office roles.

The Auditor further said:

Without targeted metrics or specific monitoring, departments could not show if savings affected their service delivery.

I therefore ask: Treasurer, is it not a fact that there were frontline service cuts because your department failed to distinguish them clearly and this has almost certainly caused a deterioration in services across some agencies?

Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Treasurer, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for Regional Development) (12:27): Absolutely not, Mr Davis. You did not listen to the answer that I gave to your substantive question, and you are cherrypicking elements of a report that do not support the contention that you have put. In simple terms my answer is no.