In 2016, ACT Labor made a guarantee that a returned Labor Government would not privatise ACT Government-owned entities or outsource essential public services.
We’ve met that commitment, and a re-elected ACT Labor in 2020 will continue to meet that commitment. We will keep public services in public hands.
We have seen in many jurisdictions that privatising Government assets and services puts jobs at risk. Under Liberal Governments, the Northern Territory and NSW privatised the public bus network. That meant worse services and higher prices for users.
Our Plan is to protect and create more than 250,000 local jobs by 2025 as part of Canberra’s recovery from COVID-19.
Now more than ever, Canberrans are relying on good, effective Government services.
Instead of cutting jobs and services, we are hiring Canberrans to keep up with demand through our Jobs for Canberrans fund.
Now 500 more Canberrans are employed to undertake essential work like bushfire recovery, COVID-safe cleaning and providing community support through Access Canberra
There are thousands of local families that rely on good, secure employment at organisations like CIT and ACTON buses.
Under a Labor Government, the current ownership structure of these organisations will stay in place, as will the Government stake in entities such as Icon Water and ActewAGL.
We will also maintain real wages and keep negotiating public sector enterprise bargaining agreements with unions and worker representatives in good faith.
Only Labor can guarantee that, if re-elected, we will grow public services, maintain public sector size and wages, and protect local jobs.