The Greens Public Service spokesperson, Barbara Pocock, wants to be part of the proposed debate between Labor's Katy Gallagher and Liberal spokesperson, Jane Hume, over the Coalition policy to sack 41,000 public servants and ban them from working from home.
Gallagher has challenged Hume to a pre-election debate saying it will give Australians a chance to hear from the major parties on an important and controversial issue.
As stated by Senator Barbara Pocock:
"Katy Gallagher wants to air the public service policies of the major parties in a live debate but they are both ignoring the one-in-three voters who now support the Greens and independents.
"Politics in Australia is no longer a two horse race and if there is going to be a policy debate about the future of our public service, there is a clear need for a Greens voice in the discussion.
"The Greens have become the real opposition in many policy arenas including this one as coalition front benchers have been silent or ineffectual over the term of this Parliament. We have been the party that has continually taken on the Government over poor performance on climate, finance, housing and education. If there's going to be a policy debate, the Greens deserve a seat at the table.
"It was the Greens who instigated the Senate inquiry into consultants, highlighting the impact of outsourcing on the public service. To this day, the Government has made no response to our recommendations for substantial and lasting reform in this area.
"Jane Hume will not be challenging Katy Gallagher to impose greater restrictions on consultant spending or tighter regulations around the tax system. Australians want to see more than a performative chat between tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum on these issues. If there's going to be a real debate, the Greens need to be included.
"Labor is hiding behind reductions in spending on labour hire and outsourced service delivery while pretending to cut consulting contracts. However, the reality is that the overall spend on consultants has dropped by only a miniscule amount on Labor's watch - 1% of the total reductions in external labour.
"This isn't good enough and it won't be the Liberal Party that questions Katy Gallagher about it, it will be the Greens."
