Transport for NSW revamp to axe 300 executive jobs plus consultants
About 300 transport executive roles will be axed as a cash-strapped Minns government embarks on severe cost-cutting to streamline the bloated bureaucracy.
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About 300 transport executive roles will be axed as a cash-strapped Minns government embarks on a massive cost-cutting exercise to streamline the bloated bureaucracy.
The “fat cat” roles will be abolished over the next three years, and the government is also taking the axe to consultants.
The Minns government wants to reduce the number of senior executive roles in public service departments by 15 per cent by the end of this term.
The 300 Transport for NSW roles are in addition to 40 that have already been abolished from the department in the past six months, which in mid-2023 had 1315 senior executives on its books.
Transport for NSW secretary Josh Murray also recently reduced the number of divisions in the department from 10 to seven as part of the restructure.
The Saturday Telegraph has been told the fat cat roles would be removed via restructures, a voluntary early exit program and the combining of senior roles.
Following recruitment controls being put in place this financial year, the department estimates it will save $108m through permanent staff voluntarily vacating roles.
The job cuts follow the department cutting back on its use of consultants, contractors and other non-staff which the government calculates has freed up more than $310m in back office expenditure.
It expects another $10m on consultant use to be saved this financial year.
Another $104m has been saved through cutting back labour hire roles, with the department ordered to purge long standing contract roles from the books by January this year.
Wasteful, “forgotten” or “local pet projects” with low passenger value are also being “turned off”, with resources redirected to service delivery, while the controversial Transport Asset Holding Entity (TAHE) is being absorbed into the department to yield further savings.
The focus will instead be on new projects added to the portfolio such as the Tangara Fleet Refresh, Future Fleet strategy, Parramatta Light Rail stage 2, Metro West, Western Sydney Airport road upgrades, Toll reform and better bus services.
Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the department was getting “back to basics”.
Mr Murray warned further “tough” decisions remained ahead for both “projects and our people”.
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has warned of a tough Budget due to an $11.9bn GST hole.
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Originally published as Transport for NSW revamp to axe 300 executive jobs plus consultants
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