Social value and inclusion manager job title criticised as ‘pushing a woke agenda’

The Andrews government is offering up to $170,000 per year for someone to manage the Suburban Rail Loop’s “social procurement and inclusion targets”.

The Andrews government is looking to fork out up to $170,000 each year to hire a social inclusion manager on one of its flagship major projects.

A “social value and inclusion manager” will be hired on the $35 billion Suburban Rail Loop in a bid to ensure the project’s “social procurement and inclusion targets” are met.

“Working in a complex, multidisciplinary and public sector environment, (the manager) will be responsible for developing, implementing and reporting on strategies and initiatives that advance diversity and social outcomes as part of major construction procurement processes for the SRLA,” the job advertisement reads.

The successful applicant will also provide analysis and insight on a range of policy and strategic issues to deliver “positive social value tied to the delivery of SRLA’s commercial contracts”.

The new role will work on the project’s social procurement and inclusion targets. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

The role is currently being advertised publicly, with an annual salary of between $127,467 and $170,579.

Dr Bella d’Abrera, director of the Institute of Public Affair’s Foundations of Western Civilisation Program, said the money should be put to better use.

“On all critical financial indicators, Victoria is the nation’s worst performing state by a significant and growing margin, yet the Andrews government continues to waste taxpayers’ money pushing their woke agenda throughout the community,” Dr d’Abrera said.

“Victoria’s Auditor General has already cast serious doubt on the financial return of this project, now the Andrews government wants to spend even more money on it to pay for left wing activism.”

The ‘social value and inclusion manager’ will work on the Suburban Rail Loop. Supplied

The state opposition, which has vowed to scrap the project and instead funnel remaining funds into healthcare if elected in November, also slammed the job title.

Louise Staley, the opposition’s spokeswoman for government scrutiny, said: “It’s no wonder Daniel Andrews pet project costs $35 billion when he is prioritising positions like this.”

“The jobs Victoria needs more of are nurses, midwives and healthcare professionals – not more government PR spinners,” she added.

“Only a Matt Guy Liberals and Nationals government will shelve this wasteful project and put every single cent into fixing the health crisis.”

But the Andrews government has defended the importance of the role, adding that many large employers are investing in social inclusion and diversity specialists.

“The Suburban Rail Loop will give hundreds of young and disadvantaged Victorians the career opportunity of a lifetime,” a spokeswoman said.

“Across our Big Build more than five million hours have been worked by apprentices, trainees and cadets and over 3 million hours by Aboriginal workers.

“We’ve supported more than 100 Aboriginal owned businesses, we’ve set strong requirements to get more women working in the construction industry and we’re creating jobs for veterans, former auto workers and other priority job seekers.

“These outcomes don’t happen by accident, they happen because projects invest in skilled people that can make these outcomes happen.”

Labor heartland seats could become marginal

A former campaign strategist for Victorian Labor has publicly criticised the party’s campaign announcements, warning that voters in the north and west were feeling neglected.

Pollster Kos Samaras, who has played a key role for the party in multiple state elections, wrote in Greek-language newspaper Neos Kosmos on Saturday that a “big party machine” was being undermined by poor discipline in funding announcements.

Former campaign strategist for Victorian Labor Kos Samaras.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed growing internal disquiet over the role of the Premier’s Private Office in the Labor campaign, with accusations of favouritism for pre-election pledges.

“It has poured billions into Melbourne’s east and Victoria’s Gippsland region,” Mr Samaras wrote.

“Poorer communities in Melbourne’s west and north west feel a bit neglected.

“Have Labor noticed? It’s no accident that one of the most common responses to our surveys in this part of Melbourne is focused on a want to make the seats they live in marginal.”

Mr Samaras told Neos Kosmos this was just one reason why Labor heartland seats in the north and west may become marginal.

“According to the 2021 Census, postcodes 3030 (Werribee, Point Cook) and 3064 (Craigieburn, Donnybrook) contain the highest number of incorporated and unincorporated owner manager businesses,” he wrote.

“These two postcodes are the epicentre of Victoria’s small business community.

“Long gone are the mass shop floors that once used to employ the working class of Melbourne’s west and north.

“Labor seems to have missed this memo.”

Mr Samaras said the Liberals had been more strategic in targeting their pledges to areas that could be won, but he warned much of their time would also be focused fighting off independents in their own heartland.