Local Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Lachlan Catchment Management Authority (CMA) workers face an uncertain future after the State Government announced plans to slash 300 jobs from the department recently.
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Minister for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson, announced the cuts last fortnight, revealing plans to axe 300 jobs, including 90 from Agriculture NSW and 110 from the Catchment Management Authorities.
The O’Farrell government says the job cuts are necessary to pave the way for the amalgamation of three organisations into the new Local Land Services department by January 2014.
Sources who spoke to the Advocate said DPI staff were worried about the impact of the budget cuts and restructure.
“There is a lot of uncertainty,” one source said.
“It affects people in the Forbes office for sure.”
The Advocate believes up to four positions from the local Agriculture NSW office will be cut or moved, including two district agronomists, and both the beef cattle and sheep and wool officers.
It is not known how many positions will be cut at the Lachlan CMA, which has its head office in Forbes.
It is believed staff were briefed on the budget cuts last week but there is still uncertainty about which jobs will be made redundant and the exact descriptions of the new positions at the amalgamated Local Land Services (LLS).
Sources said many of the jobs that are kept will be relocated and the location of new offices will not be known until the LLS boundaries are finalised.
“There will be roles in the LLS and some roles within DPI but that hasn’t been sorted out at the moment,” the source said.
The NSW Agriculture district agronomists and livestock officers are highly valued by the local agricultural industry, as they provide independent advice and information to local growers and producers.
The department’s extension services also help growers and producers take advantage of opportunities to trial new crop and fodder varieties and to develop markets for their beef, lamb and wool.
Minister Hodgkinson yesterday said 50 industry development positions would exist in the DPI under the restructure, including agronomists, livestock officers, horticulture officers and in the areas of irrigation, soils and climate.
Local Land Services will initially field up to 45 advisory officers across the state and current DPI district agronomists would be encouraged to apply for these roles.
“One of the principles driving Local Land Services is the localised decision making and budget control,” said Ms Hodgkinson.
“This gives the boards of Local Land Services the flexibility to employ additional services which meet the needs of local farmers – so if a Local Land Services region would like additional agronomists or specialist advisors, they will have the power to add these services,” she said.
