PUBLIC service staff at HMAS Albatross will feel the brunt of public service job cuts locally.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Eleven positions are expected to be cut.
Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) deputy secretary Rupert Evans said staff at the base had been told to expect job cuts over the next two to three years.
“At this stage we don’t know which positions will be cut, but we’re seeking more information from management and we’ll do whatever we can to lessen the impact of these cuts,” Mr Evans said.
“These job cuts will have a huge impact on a regional area like the Shoalhaven.
“Staff are worried and concerned about their jobs and future with Defence.
“At this stage we can’t speculate what impact the budget will have until it’s announced, but what we can say it’s an anxious time to be an Australian Public Service worker in defence.”
Shoalhaven Business Chamber president Warren Seccombe said job losses always affected the local area as cut backs forced employees to search elsewhere for work.
However he said the large number of active projects at HMAS Albatross was promising.
“There has been a lot of money injected into projects at the base and I suspect they will proceed for a fair few years,” he said.
“These are exciting times for Defence and that’s what makes us fortunate here.
“I’d be extremely surprised if these projects budgets were cut, but you never know what is going to be in the budget until it comes out,” he said.