Uncertainty over the contentious public service wage freeze

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is not ruling out whether contentious public service payrises could be deferred and was unable to say whether the freeze would begin on July 1 as promised.

THERE’S uncertainty around whether the State Government’s contentious public servants wage freeze will be in place from July 1, despite repeated assurances that it would be.

Treasurer Cameron Dick told Parliament on May 20 that it would be in place in time for the new financial year.

“We made it clear, and the Premier has made it clear, that there will be a wage freeze for the financial year 2020-21,” he said. “There will be a wage freeze.”

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But when pressed on this date today, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her Government hadn’t made its final decision.

“We’re having discussions and I will update everyone as soon as we’ve made a decision,” she said.

The Courier-Mail has previously revealed the Government had written to the Queensland Council of Unions outlining the July 1 date, acknowledging there had been administrative delays in wage adjustment applications because of COVID-19.

The Premier today said there was no legislation at this stage while not ruling out that pay rises could be deferred - meaning public servants could receive 5 per cent from 2021-22.

AWU members took strike action at 17 locations across the state last week over the freeze.