News & Developments: Port Adelaide

[SBD]

They should advertise the jobs of those that don’t want to work there and see the applicants they get. Admittedly not all may be as qualified but who knows, they may get applicants from other govt depts (esp. if they live around Pt Adelaide/want to work locally). They may even be over qualified. Worth a try...

Sounds like a bunch of entitled,pampered civil 'servants' who need a dose of reality stat. I'll bet there are thousands of people that'd be more than happy to commute 1-2 hours a day for a PS job. Lets advertise the jobs of those who don't want to work in PA in the Advertiser and see how many thousands of applicants we get.

I can understand concern with being told that your job is now half an hour further away from home than it was when you either applied for the job or last chose where to live. It is one thing to say there are new jobs, and people can choose to apply for the job knowing how far away it is, or be prepared to move closer if they get it. It is entirely different to expect people with a settled life to suddenly have their place of employment moved. The sensational tone of the article does not really indicate how much warning, consultation or option is available to the existing workforce and their families.

If the move is supposed to be reinvigorating the northern suburbs, it needs to be hiring people who already live there, or at the least providing the same sorts of removal support for current staff to move there, the same as if it was an interstate move, with the view that new people moving in will require more local support services (nurses, doctors, teachers, retail assistants, real estate agents etc). If the enterprise agreement included something like a $5000 removal assistance for people who own their home (and $2000 for renters) south of Greenhill Road and choose to move north of Grand Junction Road, then perhaps the people complaining would be different. Then we might want passenger services on the Dry Creek to Port Adelaide line again!

[rev]

They could be obligated to go where they are sent. What does their contract say?
End of the day it's a minor insignificance in the big picture. The big picture is that the states economy isn't doing too well, and there are many unemployed, at near the highest levels in the country, so if you have a stable secure, full time job, you're one of the lucky ones as there's a big trend towards casual employment.
If I was in their shoes, I'd shut up and accept the move to the Port.

[PeFe]

They could be obligated to go where they are sent. What does their contract say?
End of the day it's a minor insignificance in the big picture. The big picture is that the states economy isn't doing too well, and there are many unemployed, at near the highest levels in the country, so if you have a stable secure, full time job, you're one of the lucky ones as there's a big trend towards casual employment.
If I was in their shoes, I'd shut up and accept the move to the Port.

[SBD]

They could be obligated to go where they are sent. What does their contract say?
End of the day it's a minor insignificance in the big picture. The big picture is that the states economy isn't doing too well, and there are many unemployed, at near the highest levels in the country, so if you have a stable secure, full time job, you're one of the lucky ones as there's a big trend towards casual employment.
If I was in their shoes, I'd shut up and accept the move to the Port.

I would probably make a noise about it, but go anyway.

How far is "near enough"? If CBD public servants can be moved without choice to Port Adelaide, what about Gawler? Murray Bridge? Mount Gambier? Leigh Creek? A few hundred full time state public servants plus their families could be just what is needed to keep the school and hospital in business, along with banks, Centrelink etc.

I recall there was recently noise about the Federal government moving a bunch of people from Canberra to Armidale. I'm not sure if it has happened, is still planned, or was shelved. I think a lot chose to quit the department rather than move.

[rogue]

I would probably make a noise about it, but go anyway.

How far is "near enough"? If CBD public servants can be moved without choice to Port Adelaide, what about Gawler? Murray Bridge? Mount Gambier? Leigh Creek? A few hundred full time state public servants plus their families could be just what is needed to keep the school and hospital in business, along with banks, Centrelink etc.

I recall there was recently noise about the Federal government moving a bunch of people from Canberra to Armidale. I'm not sure if it has happened, is still planned, or was shelved. I think a lot chose to quit the department rather than move.

The relocation of The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale is proceeding.

I live in country NSW. De-centralisation of state government departments here have boosted investment in country towns, lead to increased population of these areas (with the service benefits that come with it) and provided stable employment options. So the question of what if it was Gawler, Murray Bridge etc, if that was the decision for a greater benefit, then so be it.

[Patrick_27]

I would probably make a noise about it, but go anyway.

How far is "near enough"? If CBD public servants can be moved without choice to Port Adelaide, what about Gawler? Murray Bridge? Mount Gambier? Leigh Creek? A few hundred full time state public servants plus their families could be just what is needed to keep the school and hospital in business, along with banks, Centrelink etc.

I recall there was recently noise about the Federal government moving a bunch of people from Canberra to Armidale. I'm not sure if it has happened, is still planned, or was shelved. I think a lot chose to quit the department rather than move.

The relocation of The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale is proceeding.

I live in country NSW. De-centralisation of state government departments here have boosted investment in country towns, lead to increased population of these areas (with the service benefits that come with it) and provided stable employment options. So the question of what if it was Gawler, Murray Bridge etc, if that was the decision for a greater benefit, then so be it.

School teachers do it all the time in their first years of teaching, don't know what kind of leg those at Shared Services and Renewal SA think they have to complain about having their offices moved a few km's into the suburbs. As it is, Shared Services is a joke; 60% of its workforce are overpaid and don't actually serve a purpose. Entitled is the word.

[how good is he]

I have also heard stories about popular coastal towns in Australia ie Noosa, Qld where the cafes/restaurants etc find it hard to get hospitality workers as many of the young workforce/demographic have been forced out of the area because of high rental/property prices. The businesses even pay to commute workers in from other places esp. over the peak summer times.Then there's FIFO workers...maybe they were on to something when they built the Quest hotel next door to these new offices in Pt Adelaide!

[SBD]

I would probably make a noise about it, but go anyway.

How far is "near enough"? If CBD public servants can be moved without choice to Port Adelaide, what about Gawler? Murray Bridge? Mount Gambier? Leigh Creek? A few hundred full time state public servants plus their families could be just what is needed to keep the school and hospital in business, along with banks, Centrelink etc.

I recall there was recently noise about the Federal government moving a bunch of people from Canberra to Armidale. I'm not sure if it has happened, is still planned, or was shelved. I think a lot chose to quit the department rather than move.

The relocation of The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale is proceeding.

I live in country NSW. De-centralisation of state government departments here have boosted investment in country towns, lead to increased population of these areas (with the service benefits that come with it) and provided stable employment options. So the question of what if it was Gawler, Murray Bridge etc, if that was the decision for a greater benefit, then so be it.

I think there are two inter-related things. One is the decentralisation of government offices, which is good for the regions they will be in. The second is the actual move - it causes upheaval for the staff and their families who need to move (Port Adelaide is probably not far enough to be significant for that for a lot of them), and for the department when a lot of corporate knowledge and experience is lost through people who decide to bring forward their retirement or resign. That leaves the department short-staffed and having lost a lot of experience, at a time when it is also spending a lot of time and effort on recruiting to replace them. It is usually the best people who leave and the mediocre people wo remain in the organisation. Eventually, that recruitment can pick up people from Holden and its suppliers, or downsized ASC.

[SBD]

I would probably make a noise about it, but go anyway.

How far is "near enough"? If CBD public servants can be moved without choice to Port Adelaide, what about Gawler? Murray Bridge? Mount Gambier? Leigh Creek? A few hundred full time state public servants plus their families could be just what is needed to keep the school and hospital in business, along with banks, Centrelink etc.

I recall there was recently noise about the Federal government moving a bunch of people from Canberra to Armidale. I'm not sure if it has happened, is still planned, or was shelved. I think a lot chose to quit the department rather than move.

The relocation of The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority to Armidale is proceeding.

I live in country NSW. De-centralisation of state government departments here have boosted investment in country towns, lead to increased population of these areas (with the service benefits that come with it) and provided stable employment options. So the question of what if it was Gawler, Murray Bridge etc, if that was the decision for a greater benefit, then so be it.

School teachers do it all the time in their first years of teaching, don't know what kind of leg those at Shared Services and Renewal SA think they have to complain about having their offices moved a few km's into the suburbs. As it is, Shared Services is a joke; 60% of its workforce are overpaid and don't actually serve a purpose. Entitled is the word.

School teachers know they are taking a job that requires moving at the time they apply for the job. That is different to taking a job at a known location, setting up your family, buying a house, spouse getting a job, joining sports clubs and schools, whatever, then being told by your boss that you have to move to somewhere else. Again, Port Adelaide is probably not far enough to force moving house, but for some people it will make that job less attractive (for others, it will make it more attractive).

I support the concept, and have no knowledge outside of newspaper stories about whether the implenetation is being well-managed. I already live and work in outer suburbs, so would be upset in the other direction if I was told my office was moving into the CBD whether I liked it or not.

[how good is he]

Does anyone know what the legal rights of the employee and the employer are in such a situation? Also is it any different with Govt depts? So can a (Govt) employee refuse to move to Pt Adelaide and insist on being transferred to another Govt dept instead? If so, are they also entitled to be paid until such a position is found?

[rev]

Does anyone know what the legal rights of the employee and the employer are in such a situation? Also is it any different with Govt depts? So can a (Govt) employee refuse to move to Pt Adelaide and insist on being transferred to another Govt dept instead? If so, are they also entitled to be paid until such a position is found?

It would depend on the contract they've signed and the terms of employment. And probably a whole bunch of other factors and legal rights for employees and employers.

Since the government is building a brand new office tower, and told a bunch of its staff that they're department is being shifted to Port Adelaide, I'd say that it is entirely legal to do.

Don't like it? Quit and go find another job. Like I said, in this economy, good luck finding full time employment in the foreseeable future.
Suck it up and stop being precious. Your job isn't tied to a specific location for eternity.
Government departments move from building to building within the CBD more often then you think. Have any of them quit because their bus doesn't stop in front of their building anymore? ....

[how good is he]

What if there is no contract? My question was what rights does both the employee have (say a clerk on a wage) and the employer have (and if there is any difference with Govt). Rev, while I agree with your opinion I would like to know what the actual law (ie past cases) says on the matter.

[rev]

What if there is no contract? My question was what rights does both the employee have (say a clerk on a wage) and the employer have (and if there is any difference with Govt). Rev, I while I agree with your opinion I would like to know what the actual law (ie past cases) says on the matter.

I guarantee you 1000% they have all signed a contract.
There is no doubt about it, it’s not a question of if they have a contract but what does the contract stipulate.
And seeing as the government is building a new office block for them, and has told them they’re new office will be there, I’ll take a punt and say that the government has them over a barrel on this whether they like it or not.

They can go ahead and quit, because there’s thousands of people who WILL apply for those jobs, and the government won’t have any trouble filling vacancies.

[ghs]

I agree with rev. If the public servants don't like being moved to Port adelaide then they can resign and try to find a job in the real world. When you start a job there's no guarantee you will stay in the same location forever.

[Hooligan]

“We met with a member recently who would have to travel two hours one way.

Talk about the age of entitlement. These workers should be thankful that they have a job at all.

Where does this person live? Victor Harbor? Kadina? Waikerie? Coonalpyn?

No joke, I'd actually like to know.