Arabic version: إلغاء برنامج الرفاه في وزارة العدل بتسمانيا ضمن مساعي التوفير
According to ABC News, Tasmania’s Department of Justice will abolish its specialist safety and wellbeing service after a departmental review, replacing it with an expanded Employee Assistance Program. The service provides case management and psychological support to staff dealing with difficult and traumatic work, including corrections officers and lawyers.
About 200 employees are understood to use the program. Staff surveyed by the Community and Public Sector Union said the Employee Assistance Program was insufficient as a replacement and not as effective. One staff member warned that removing specialist support could leave workers without timely assistance and increase stress, burnout, absenteeism, turnover and psychological injury.
Attorney-General Guy Barnett told parliament the revised model would “better meet the needs of the workforce” while maintaining a strong commitment to employee wellbeing. Community and Public Sector Union secretary Thirza White said the decision showed how little room remained in some budgets, describing the service as valued and important.
The cut comes as the Department of Justice has been directed to find nearly $7.5 million in efficiencies this financial year and $67.6 million over four years. Tasmania’s latest budget forecasts state debt will reach $9.5 billion by the end of the decade, even with $1.5 billion in state-service efficiencies and 1,700 job cuts.
Labor MP Ella Haddad said cutting a small wellbeing unit did not make sense and could ultimately increase costs through stress, anxiety and psychological workers’ compensation claims. The broader redundancies have also prompted concerns about lost expertise, including roles in IT, cybersecurity, geology, policy and the arts.
