EDUCATION AND TRAINING — VOLUNTARY TARGETED SEPARATION SCHEME

676. Hon Alison Xamon to the Minister for Education and Training:

I refer to the government’s voluntary separation scheme and operation of the scheme in the Department of Education, and I ask:

(a)  how many teachers and school leaders have applied for voluntary redundancy under the scheme;

(b)  how many of these applications have been approved;

(c)  how many non-teaching staff have applied for redundancy under the scheme;

(d)  how many of the applications from have been approved; and

(e)  will the Minister please list the positions for which a voluntary redundancy has been approved, and the location of each position?

Hon Sue Ellery replied:

(a)–(e) The Voluntary Targeted Separation Scheme (VTSS) is a Budget repair tool to assist agencies in meeting Machinery of Government (MoG) savings resulting from the amalgamation of a number of government departments as well as assist in achieving workforce renewal by enabling agencies to retain 20% of the savings. The VTSS is open to all general government employees, though priority is being given to agencies impacted by the MoG changes (which took effect from 1 July 2017). However in the Department of Education, only staff whose substantive position was not school based were invited to express an interest. Further, a number of employees requiring placement (ERP) have been categorised as suitable to receive a VTSS offer.

Agency targets are Cabinet-in-confidence and were provided as a guide to assist agencies and Ministers with implementation of the scheme. While the reductions will vary between agencies depending on factors like MoG changes, the size and role of individual agencies and other impacts, all agencies are expected to contribute in order to meet the overall reduction target of 3,000 employees.

Agencies are currently working with the Public Sector Commission to progress the scheme via individual expression of interest (EOI) processes. Progress will be reported to Cabinet during the 2018–19 Budget process and detailed in the 2018–19 Budget Papers.

 

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