Progressive PSA Candidates

Anne Gardiner for General Secretary
EXPERIENCE - Anne Gardiner has extensive experience in Public Sector work and unionism. She started her career as a Registered Nurse then following further study she moved to the NSW Fire Brigades as a Safety Officer. For the last 16 years Anne has worked as an operational manager for Workcover. She served on the Executive of the Safety Inspectors vocational branch and has been on Central Council of the PSA for the last four years. Her initial PSA membership was with the Professional Officers Association (POA).

DETERMINATION – Anne made front-page news when she took Workcover to court in the test case of the Carers Responsibility Legislation. This followed the forced relocation of her job from Sydney to Gosford. Thanks to Anne’s determination NSW now has the broadest definition of carer responsibility accepted in any court. The Administrative Decisions Tribunal accepted that the role of parents is not limited to specific tasks as argued by her employer. The Tribunal agreed with Anne that the responsibility of parents extends to the Physical, Emotional and Psychological well being of their children.

COMMITMENT Anne says, “ I am concerned that the officials in control of our union have no experience of the threats currently faced by public sector workers and that their management style is one of secrecy rather than inclusion. This secrecy extends to the salaries paid to the current General Secretary and two Assistant General Secretaries, John Cahill, Shane O’Brien and Steve Turner and the board membership fees paid to the current President. I believe members’ money should not be lining the pockets of greedy officials. If elected as General Secretary I will immediately establish an open review of the salaries paid to elected officials, including the General Secretary and ensure that they are commensurate with Public Sector salaries for equivalent work. I will also ensure that Board membership fees paid to PSA officials are returned to the PSA. The NSW Public Service is in a period of great change. Our union needs to lead the way during this time and develop strategies in consultation with delegates and members to protect our hard fought for conditions and jobs. The Progressives are the true rank and file ticket in this election and we will deliver on our promises".

Adrianne Harris for President
Adrianne is the President of the UNSW CPSU Branch (2006 – current); an elected staff representative on the General Staff Employee Representative Committee at UNSW (GSERC); President of the Higher Education Representative Council (HERC) (2008); and a current PSA Central Councillor. Adrianne is a Vice President of the SPSF (NSW Branch,2004 – 2008); UNSW CPSU Branch Vice President (2004 – 2006); HERC delegate (2004 - 2008) and UNSW CPSU Branch Secretary (1996 - 1999).

Adrianne first began her career with the Electricity Commission in 1989 and has over 12 years of experience in the university sector. Adrianne has seen first hand the damage that Workchoices and the Higher Education Workplace Reform Requirements (HWERRs) have done to workers rights in higher education and is committed to restoring lost rights and conditions. Adrianne believes a democratic union that involves its members is a strong union and will work for greater member involvement that results in gains for workers in universities and the public sector. Adrianne opposed the rule changes that were introduced without member consultation in 2008 and believes that 'members are the union' and should be consulted and included in decision making.

Leon Parissi for Assistant General Secretary
LEON PARISSI will work hard with PSA members and union staff to build a stronger, united and involved membership across all sections of the PSA so our union can deliver better outcomes in job security, working conditions and pay.

A RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT – LEON PARISSI has been an active PSA member since joining the NSW public service in 1986. His record as an activist delegate includes establishing and maintaining several strong Workplace Groups and has led many PSA campaigns such as those against job cuts. He played a leading role in winning the breakthrough Libraries and Archives pay equity Award in 2002. As Chair of the DET/TAFE Department Committee and as a Central Councilor over many years he has pursued numerous issues affecting individuals and groups of members. He has been a leader in various broader labour, social and community movements and campaigns.

NO SECRET DEALS – LEON PARISSI says “The Progressive PSA is the only group which consistently campaigned against conditions trade offs in the pay deal. The Progressives are the only group which opposed undemocratic PSA rules changes that the current leadership never put to members. Unlike the current leadership we will put all such important matters before the governing body of the union and members.” Leon also commits to full disclosure of conflicts of interest and to not hold paid positions on the Boards of Management of other organisations.

UNITY AND STRENGTH – With these key elements PSA members together with the broader labour movement fought the Rights @ Work campaign. Progressives will bring unity & strength back into our union to win better results for PSA members.

Paul Petersen for Assistant General Secretary
Paul is the current PSA Vice President. He played a leading role in fighting WorkChoices. Paul has extensive experience as a negotiator and has been a PSA delegate in several Departments. He has worked across the public service including the Office of Industrial Relations, Office of Director of Equal Opportunity, Fair Trading, Premier and Cabinet, and the PSA. He says “the current Cahill/Walsh team have delivered sub-inflation pay deals, compulsory redundancies and restrictions to sick leave. They have presided over a declining membership. They made a song and dance over job cuts before the state election but did nothing to stop the Iemma Government eliminating 5,000 jobs after the election. Job cuts are job cuts. We can’t afford union officials who go soft on our employer just because it is a Labor Government.
"When the current officials were caught red-handed breaching our union's rules (prohibiting endorsement and funding of political candidates) they simply changed the rules…. but they didn’t consult you. Those changes have created deep divisions in our union. That isn’t the way to unify and strengthen the PSA.
THERE IS A BETTER WAYThe Progressives will reform the union in consultation with members. We can build a union that is strong, united and proud. Anne Gardiner and the Progressives have the knowledge, vision and strategic ability to deal with the issues that will affect our members in coming years - from privatisation to job security in a carbon constrained economy.

Jeff Walters for Vice President
I am like all of you a Public Servant and have taken pride in my service to the community of NSW. I work in Attorney General’s Department in the area of Local Courts. I have been an active delegate for over 8 years both for Local courts as well as the Attorney General’s Department, in both committees I have risen to the essential position of Secretary.
4 years ago I joined a group called the Progressive PSA, a team of Public servants working hard for you our members. We are fighting to return the public Service Association to the members and away from the closely aligned party political General Secretary and two Assistant General Secretaries. Those officers have never had careers as public service workers. However, Anne Gardiner, Paul Petersen and Leon Parissi who are standing for the positions of General Secretary and Assistant General Secretaries on the Progressives ticket are all career public servants.
4 years ago I was elected as PSA Central Councillor and have been a very active member of it. I was nominated to be Trustee of the PSA Provident Fund and also elected to a Sub Committee to look at improvements to your Conditions of Employment Award. That same award has now been eroded by the Pay Deal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Susan Couling for Vice President
I have been a full-time Public Sector employee for over 18 years, having worked in middle management and Senior Project positions across a number of Departments, including the NSW Fire Brigades, DADHC and the NSW Department of Corrective Services. I have extensive experience in the areas recruitment, equal employment opportunity, workers’ compensation and occupational health and safety and have also held positions in industrial relations and quality assurance (quality assurance being my present role with the NSW Department of Corrective Services). Prior to my joining the public sector, I worked over seven years with the NSW Teachers’ federation, and held the role of Occupational health and Safety Officer with the Australian Bank Employees Union (now the Finance Sector Union). I have held the position of PSA Councillor for the last four years, and have been privileged to do so.
In my capacity of Councillor, I have been in a position to closely observe the relationship between the leadership of the PSA and its member representatives, and have been deeply concerned to note the dismissive and disrespectful manner in which members are treated by the senior executive should their views differ from their own. I believe this attitude of superiority, which is closely aligned to a complete lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the present leadership, has been clearly demonstrated through its recent manipulation of rapidly progressed PSA Rule changes which will impact severely on the ability of the Union to hear the views and address the needs of a cross representation of its members. These actions, coupled with the inability of the membership to even identify the salaries and allowances paid to its senior leadership are of deep concern. The Union must have member focussed, and strategically focussed leadership – the Progessives are able to deliver that leadership, and the commitment and transparency which underpins it and a successful and dynamic union.

Boyd Kellner for Vice President
I am proud to be standing as a Progressive PSA candidate, which truly represents the democratic union interests of the entire PSA membership. I have been an active schools based PSA member since 1986. I have been a PSA Central Councillor, PSA Schools Departmental Committee delegate, PSA North Coast Regional Schools Joint Consultative Committee delegate, PSA General Assistants Advisory Group Secretary, DET /PSA General Assistant Training & Development Working Party delegate, and PSA General Assistants Working Party delegate for North Coast. I was active with the ACTU/Unions NSW 'Your Rights at Work' campaigns with Lismore [NRUN] group. I Worked as PSA North Coast Regional Organiser for over 4 years. I have extensive negotiating and organising experience advocating for members across the whole NSW public sector.
I understand the unique cultural, regional workplace issues that are encountered by PSA members. I'm committed to ensuring the PSA is revitalised with proper democratic based decision making powers for members, giving back member’s control and ownership of the PSA. The secret rule changes were strenuously opposed by the Progressive PSA. The PSA is in urgent need of reform. The 2008 NSW Public Sector Salaries Case agreement is a case in point – no genuine consultation in the decision making with members at any level prior to being signed off. This agreement has never been open to membership scrutiny. The PPSA represents the only real alternative to make the union strong again! The Progressive PSA represents a new vision for effective union change in a rapidly changing working world. The Progressive PSA is ACCOUNTABLE and INDEPENDENT from political parties and governments, from favours and deal making. The Progressive PSA believes in and strongly advocates membership driven industrial campaigns. Progressive PSA stands for inclusive democratic membership decision making.

Margaret McLoughlin-Fullick
Over the last 10 years I have participated in many union consultative forums and have held positions elected by the members that I represent in TAFE. These include Institute Consultative Committee, workplace delegate and executive positions (I am currently the chairperson) in our workgroup. At the state level I am the assistant secretary on the TAFE/DET advisory group.
The PSA response to the restructure of DET/TAFE corporate services in 2003 motivated me to nominate for a position as Central Councillor in the 2004 PSA elections. I won a position with the support of my Progressive PSA colleagues. The operations of Central Council opened my eyes to the problems currently within our union where, I believe, the membership is often taken for granted by the executive. I have been a proud Progressive councillor fighting to maintain the wishes of the membership.
The recent secret rule changes do nothing to unify our members or make our union stronger I believe that our union can be a proud, strong and supportive organisation. We need to strengthen the support mechanisms and services for delegates and members who make up the body of the union. And I want to do something about it. Now is the time to change the union.
Ask yourself "How can I make the union work for me?" It is easy! The first step is to vote for the Progressives who will change the rules, review current practices and consult members with the aim to improve our customer service and continue to fight for the rights of public sector workers. As public servants we all know the value in good customer service. When a member calls the union for help they expect a response. This is what members deserve and what we will work hard to achieve. All Progressive PSA candidates are public sector workers.

Belinda Sugden
I have represented women’s issues through PSA Women’s Council for the past 2 years and will continue to provide this service over the next term of office 2008-2010. This is a valuable service to all women members. I have been an active women’s representative through the Spokeswomen’s Program and assisted PSA delegate positions and provided information to all members over the past 7 – 8 years.
I am currently a representative for Juvenile Justice on PSA Departmental Committee.I have represented and advocated fair conditions and natural justice for many staff both male and female on OH&S issues, Equity issues and harassment/grievance issues. I have represented staff on these committees within Juvenile Justice and have assisted many staff and provided many opportunities for staff to seek available networks for support and information. I have assisted my Department with action plans and policy development to assist with implementing change. I am committed to making a difference and would like to see an honest system where all members have been informed of any information, which may impact on their daily roles within the public service.
I commenced my public service career in the NSW Police Service as a serving police officer. I then continued my career in Juvenile Justice and today I am working with both Corrective Services and Juvenile Justice within Kariong Juvenile Correctional Centre/Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centres. I have a good understanding of these agencies.
I am concerned about the recent secrecy around the PSA Rule changes prior to this election and Pay deal trade offs with limited circulation of information given to members to ensure a well-informed decision has been made for the best interests of public servants. I was concerned by the hostility presented by many when more members sought further information on PSA rule changes, PSA funds and Pay deal case. This concerns me when the information has not been freely available in each circumstance. I would like to see paid public servants who understand our needs be the main decision making body for our union. Our union needs this change. Think about whom you are voting for to create the changes needed. Your vote is important.

Judith Daley
I am the Secretary of the DET/TAFE Advisory Council and regularly meet with management at the Joint Consultative Committee meetings where sector wide issues are discussed or negotiated. I also frequently meet with management about individual and small group issues. I have extensive experience in negotiation, mediation, conciliation, organising and recruiting. I have been a State public servant since 1996 and prior to that I was a Federal public servant working as a discrimination conciliator. And before that I worked as an Industrial Officer with PSA of NSW so I know how the union works from the inside and from the outside.
I want to change the current culture at PSA because I believe people who are public servants have a greater understanding of and affinity with fellow public servants. It seems to me that the current general secretary and the two assistant general secretaries have had careers as industrial officers or they were public servants so long ago it is no longer relevant.
Although I am a very active delegate and frequently attend Central Council and other union meetings I don't understand why the General Secretary accepted the current pay deal with adverse changes to our conditions without authorisation from the governing body of our union. With only 2.5% of it funded and the rest to be made up through 'savings initiatives' we've yet to be told the real impact on members.
I cannot find out what salaries these Executives are paid by the PSA membership and I fought long and hard against the rule changes that now allow membership money to be paid to political parties. The Progressive PSA (PPSA) was the only group on Central Council to oppose these rule changes and PPSA believe the focus should be on providing information to members on where the parties stand rather than uncritical endorsement or donations. Any political activity should be subject to membership scrutiny and endorsement.

Stephen O'Brien
The PSA needs to be more proactive in defending public sector jobs and winning decent pay rises without agreeing to trade away the conditions of public sector workers. I believe the collapse of whole sections of the private economy in recent times is proof that a strong public sector is vital. We do deliver more effectively than we are credited for.
I have been actively involved in community campaigns to keep electricity in public hands, to save Newcastle rail and in defence of public education in TAFE. Since 1991 I have worked at the Kurri, Belmont, Hunter St and Newcastle TAFE campuses as a librarian. During this time I have also taken time out to work as a volunteer in international development in Nicaragua, East Timor and most recently with the United Nations in Zimbabwe (2004-2006). Before coming to TAFE I worked as a trade union trainer with the Newcastle Workers’ Health Centre.
As an active delegate for ten years, I have been involved in many local negotiations with management and most recently helped negotiate a beneficial regrading for library workers in the Hunter Institute.I am a member of the PSA’s TAFE Advisory Group and have been a PSA delegate to Newcastle Trades Hall Council. As a delegate to PSA’s Annual Conference and an alternate member to the Central Council, I am convinced that the Progressives are the best team for a stronger, more democratic and effective union leadership that will actively defend our conditions, rather than trade them away.

Mehtap Stanfield
Mehtap Stanfield is a solicitor and a proud PSA member at the Department of Local Government (DLG) and has been a workplace delegate for her entire working life. During her time at the DLG, Mehtap has been a Spokeswoman and, in the final year of the Spokeswoman’s Program, was elected the DLG’s Woman of the Year by both male and female members of staff.
Mehtap has extensive experience in negotiating with management on workplace industrial policies, most in recently negotiating a generous Flexible Working Hours Agreement with the DLG at the JCC level. Mehtap is also a delegate to the South East District Branch of the PSA which has allowed Mehtap to serve members outside of her own Department – this is supported by her work as a strong member of the PSA’s Central Council.
The PSA selected Mehtap as a witness to the 2008 pay claim and Mehtap gave detailed evidence to the Commission in relation to the claim. Currently completing her Masters in Law, Mehtap has an interest in public advocacy, administrative law and freedom of access to government information, about which she is currently completing a thesis.
From a culturally and linguistically diverse background, Mehtap has had first hand experience of the struggle for equality in the workplace and in society as a whole on many different levels. This experience fuels Mehtap’s tireless work as a union activist at a local, regional and state level. Mehtap says:
“I’m committed to a union that is open and transparent in its decision making and places real value in the concerns of its members. I want a union that consults with its members on decisions that will affect our pay and conditions. I want a union that’s led by people with real experience in the public service – not professional union staffers, but people with real and lasting experience on the ‘shop floor’. I believe in a union that’s not beholden to this political party or that. That’s why I am running with and voting for the Progressives”.

Lindsay Hawkins
Lindsay Hawkins is a part-time residential support worker with DADHC and has been a proud union member for over ten years. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from UNSW, majoring in Philosophy. He has previously worked as a union organiser during which time he undertook extensive training with the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).
Lindsay has been a dedicated trade unionist and political and environmental activist his whole life. He has taken part in anti-war and environmental campaigns and most recently in the Unions NSW campaign against the privatisation of the state’s power industry.
Lindsay says: “The Australian union movement has a proud history with many achievements but our hard won conditions are under threat. If returned to Central Council, I will fight to preserve and advance our working conditions and will not cave in to pressure from the employer. I will work to strengthen our union by making it more active, inclusive and accountable to members.
It’s time for a change of leadership. The current officials are tired and have run out of ideas. They have fallen asleep at the wheel and this has led to second-rate service. For example, the recent 4% pay deal includes a raft of hidden trade-offs in conditions that they are not telling members about.
Also, as a point of principle, I believe that the top officials should have at least some previous experience as public servants and that they should be paid no more than ordinary members. Let’s get our union working again. This election I urge all members to vote Progressive – the strength and unity team.”

Renee Kinimaka
Renee Kinimaka has been employed by DADHC since 1996 and has been and active PSA member during this time. Renee has tertiary background in welfare and is employed by DADHC as a Behaviour Intervention Clinician on the Regional Behaviour Intervention Team (RBIT) located in Gosford (Hunter Region). Prior to working on the RBIT, Renee worked in her current position as part of a multi-disciplinary Community Support team (CST).
Renee has 3 years hands on experience of working as a Residential Support Worker in a DADHC group home and experience of working in day programs as a Community Support Worker at a non government organisation.
Renee was chosen by the PSA to be a witness in the salary cases in 2008 of which she provided detailed testimony to the Commission to support the pay claim.
Renee is a current member on the DADHC Departmental Committee of which she joined in 2005. Renee was actively involved on the CST working party in relation to Stage 1 of the recent Case Management restructure with continued involvement with the department in negotiations of Stage 2 of the CST BIS and Therapy reform. Renee had recent local involvement in Your Rights at Work campaign. Renee has been a PSA delegate in her local area for approximately and available to all PSA members, across business streams, for approximately 4 ½ years.
Renee is dedicated to ensuring fair and equitable treatment be sought when assisting members. Renee strongly encourages a process where lines of communication remain open and transparent between the Department, the PSA and the members of the PSA. Renee is passionate about promoting fairness, honesty, integrity and accountability throughout the negotiating process.

Kate Lowe
I have been a PSA member for 30 years and I am not happy with the way the Union is being run.
Prior to the last State election I attended the meeting at the Town Hall which was organised by the PSA, supposedly to protest against the state government cutting our jobs. However, during the meeting I realised that PSA members were being used by the current PSA officials to support our boss, the Labor Party, instead of fighting for our jobs. The secret change to the PSA rules in February this year was the last straw for me. This rules change allows members’ money and resources to be used to support political candidates chosen by the General Secretary and the Executive of the PSA. Anne Gardiner the General Secretary candidate for the PROGRESSIVES has promised to overturn this secret rules change. That’s why I am standing for the PROGRESSIVES.
I am a member of the OHS Committee at the Australian Museum and I want the people in charge of my Union to understand the challenges faced by Public Sector workers in NSW. How have we ended up with a General Secretary and two Assistant General Secretaries who have never had careers as Public Service workers?
All the candidates standing on The PROGRESSIVES ticket are Public Sector workers.

Joan O'Dwyer
I have been an active delegate and member of Women’s Council and Central Council for many years. I was formerly a member of the Central Council sub Committee that worked with paid staff on the Guidelines for the Public Sector Employment and Management Act.
I have real concerns about the process used to secure the pay increase. In particular the fact that Departments will not be funded for the full increase in a climate of budget reductions will have a serious impact on the jobs of members. If the members are to live with the outcomes of these negotiation members have to right to decide.
This is not the action of an inclusive union. That view has been supported by the recent rule changes, which will effectively remove the representation of members with dissenting voices.
I would like to see PSA be an independent, strong union that does not give partisan support to political parties. I think there is a real difference between supporting political policies and supporting political parties, both in a financial and philosophical sense.
The Progressives were the only group on Central Council which opposed the secret rules change which now allows members money and resources to be used to support political candidates and parties nominated by PSA executive
I support Anne Gardiner, Paul Petersen and Leon Parissi who are standing for the positions of General Secretary and Assistant General Secretaries on the Progressives ticket as they all have a strong background in the public sector. They know what it is like in the agencies as they are working there.

Elizabeth Humphrys
Elizabeth has been an active unionist all her working life. As a member of the PSA at the NSW Ombudsman’s Office she was a delegate for four years and the Secretary of the Workplace Group. She was the Workplace Group representative on the Joint Consultative Committee with management for much of this time. During this year she has been active in the workplace on a number of local issues, but also over the proposed privatisation of NSW electricity sector. Elizabeth has helped build rallies and with her husband has been involved in the Power to the People organising group.
Before working at the NSW Ombudsman she worked for the student union at the University of Western Sydney and the University of Sydney. She was a delegate for the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) at both jobs and negotiated two enterprise agreements in that time.
Elizabeth has always been politically active, in particular over environmental and globalisation issues. She is committed to social and economic justice and was actively involved in the campaign against the Iraq War to end mandatory detention of asylum seekers. Earlier this year she convened a forum with activists and academics involved in social justice campaigns, which was held on the same day as Rudd’s 2020 conference to look at how ordinary people might fight for justice in the era after the Howard Government.
Elizabeth is a social movement researcher and is currently completing a thesis at UTS on the impact of the 9/11 terror attacks on the anti-globalisation movement in Australia.

Anne Harwood
As an active Union member for nearly 20 years, a previous delegate and a current member of PSA Women’s Council, I have been increasingly disillusioned by the lack of transparency in PSA decision making, along with the extent that rank and file members have been marginalised in this union. This undermines the integral fabric of how a union should function. Members should not be left in the dark about important decisions that effect the quality of their employment, working conditions and future planning. As a delegate I learnt of condition trade off’s and changes to policies that were done with little or no consultation with members, only to be discovered when the required condition or policy was required to support a member. By standing with the Progressive PSA Group I believe I can help fight maintain the basic principles of union values of fairness, equality and opportunity.

Glenn Thorsby
I have been employed within the NSW Public Service for over 23 years and a member of the PSA for the whole time. During this time I have never seen members of the PSA treated so badly by top PSA officials as they are currently.
I am concerned that there seems to be no involvement by members who are Public Servants in pay deals. I find the secrecy surrounding these deals disconcerting.
I recently had cause to contact the PSA regarding a serious matter and was never supported by the organiser during this time. The PSA must put the interest of members before the employer.
I also oppose the use of PSA resources and money to support political candidates and political parties. I expect the resources and money to be better put to use to support the paying members of the PSA.

Emma Nicholson
I am keen to be a delegate who represents young members’ interests. I want better communication about PSA decisions and their impacts – and not just in Red Tape. I want the PSA to educate members on how to negotiate with managers for part-time and other flexible work. I want to see spaces for expressing milk in all government workplaces and for the PSA to hold agencies accountable to benchmarks to increase women’s representation at the top and in non-traditional roles.
With less than 5% of the public sector under 25, I want the PSA to be vigilant about the service recruiting more young people and retaining them. I want to see the PSA insist agencies meet commitments to increase apprenticeships by 10% a year, take better advantage of Indigenous Cadetships, and build structured pathways into the sector through work experience and internship programs.
I want the PSA to engage in a real debate around what the service will look like in the future. With many thousands of public servants due to retire in the next 7-10 years, we need to think about how we fund the union from a smaller membership base. We need to work with older members to find out their preferences to transition to retirement – public service conditions and entitlements may look very different if preferences are for part-time, mentor, and contract or consultancy roles.
In my three years in the service I have worked at the Government and Related Employees Appeal Tribunal, the policy team at the Office of Industrial Relations in Commerce, and the Public Sector Workforce Office at the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Peter Devine
I am 52 yrs of age a Scot who arrived in Australia in 1980 and now a proud citizen of this country. I have 3 children 2 of them adults and have first hand experience of trying to maintain a balanced lifestyle in adverse times. I have long held a strong interest in union activity even before I arrived here, I guess I inherited this from both of my parents both activists and delegates and a sense of injustice formed during the Thatcher years in the UK.I have been workplace delegate at Silverwater Correctional Centre (Non Custodial) for almost 10 years and a member of our Departmental Committee (non custodial) for 8 of those years. I have been involved in many negotiations within our department during particularly difficult reforms and transitions and understand the fears and concerns of the ordinary members and working families. It is during this particularly difficult time and after witnessing dreadful disregard of the ordinary member and fair go for all at the last Central Conference that I felt the current executive had “lost touch” much like the Labor Party of NSW. Indeed for some unknown reason never fully explained the two dominant factions of the PSA union elected to band together at Central council and pushed a motion to allow the PSA to align itself with a distinct political party. I am a Labor supporter through and through but utterly disillusioned by the current incumbents.This was the straw that broke the camels back as I strongly believe that our once strong and proud union be unaligned. The spiritual heart of the PSA has been captured by those who would harm us. It is time to regain it.I support the PPSA in all of its aims and aspirations and I urge all of you of like mind to join with us to reclaim the proud heritage of the PSA.

Jenny Singleton
I am a Correctional Officer and POVB union delegate on the Long Bay Complex. I am presently studying law part time and have a special interest in Industrial Law. I believe work choices and the way forward are a threat to staff safety and working conditions and compromise the ability of public servants to provide services for the community. Cuts are being made from the wrong places – the front lines – while the number of ‘fat cats’ and their salaries continue to grow exponentially.
I am supporting Anne Gardiner, Paul Petersen and Leon Parissi of the Progressive PSA Strength and Unity Team.

Michel Dignand
If elected, I will work with the Progressive PSA to encourage more transparency in Union matters, and to reverse the growing incidence of bullying, both within the Union and in the workplace.
The secrecy surrounding a number of issues has reduced confidence in the management of the Union, and this secrecy must be ended - the trade-offs in the pay deal, the undeclared salaries of leaders of the Union, and the changes to the PSA rules, all require transparency.
The Progressive PSA was the only group on Central Council to oppose the secret rule changes which permit the support of political candidates and parties nominated simply by the PSA executive using money and resources belonging to PSA members. The Progressive PSA will reverse this rule change.
Several Executives, the General Secretary and two Assistant General Secretaries hold their positions despite never having worked in the Public Service. On the other hand Anne Gardiner, Paul Petersen and Leon Parissi who are standing for the positions of General Secretary and Assistant General Secretaries on the Progressives ticket are all career public servants.

Christopher Pickering
I have been employed as a librarian at Wollongong TAFE college library since 1991. For the majority of that time I have been our workplace delegate and the Chairperson of the Upper Illawarra Institute Workplace Group.
During the 2000-2001 period I played a central leadership role during a bitter industrial dispute with TAFE Illawarra management over their attempt to slash staffing numbers and services across the institute’s 12 libraries. Through committed struggle our library members were able to retain a vibrant and professional library service, minimised staffing losses and forced management to agree to 95% permanency for our PSA members.
I believe that it is essential that our elected union representatives have a background as public servants. The current General Secretary and two Assistant General Secretaries have never had careers as public service workers, but Anne Gardiner, Paul Petersen and Leon Parissi, who are standing for the positions of General Secretary and Assistant General Secretaries on the Progressives ticket are all career public servants.

Shane Barry
Shane Barry is a full-time disability support worker for DADHC in Wollongong. Shane has been a union member for 10 years.
Shane says: "We needed a stronger union, one that will not cave in to employer demands. It is time members were kept fully informed about what is going in the union and included more in decision making, instead of being kept in the dark."

Robin Dowsett
I have been in my current position for the past 6 years and prior to that worked for the Health Department and in the private sector. I am currently a member of my schools OH & S committee.
I am concerned about what the trade offs will be in our new award and the secrecy surrounding this. The Central Council should have been consulted prior to this new award being signed off.
Rule changes within the PSA should be public knowledge to members and not done in secrecy. We as members are entitled to know about these changes. The Progressives were the only group to oppose these secret rule changes. I believe the PSA should be driven by its members and therefore should listen to their opinions, ideas and needs.
We, at the coal face should have more input regarding the implementation of new programs such as the Enrolment and Registration Number [ERN], Smartbuy and Learning Management and Business Reform [LMBR]. The Union should be consulting with us prior to their implementation by the Department.
The current General Secretary and two Assistant General Secretaries have not had careers in the NSW public service. All people standing on the Progressive ticket are public sector workers. I have a strong belief in equality of pay within the public sector.

William White
I am a workplace delegate at the University of Technology Sydney. We need officials who will take a forceful, uncompromising response to the aggressive management attacks on our members’ dignity, rights and conditions.
Employees in our sector are very concerned by the widespread workplace bullying, non-replacement of staff when they leave, leading to increased workloads on remaining staff and a lack of real career paths. In tandem with this we see management leaning more and more to the private sector with contract workers outsourcing becoming increasingly common.
We need a union which properly resources delegates and members, with officials who are aware of what is happening in the workplace and know how to take decisive action. This can only happen when those officials have actually worked in the public sector and can relate to the workplace culture as experience by members and delegates.
We need to have a limited tenure of office for all our officials with a constant renewal process bringing into office people who are relevant to the membership.

Margaret Jarosz
Margaret has been a member of the PSA since joining the Health Professionals Registration Boards (HPRB) in 1997. Prior to joining the PSA Margaret was a delegate and member of the ASWU when she worked for a Community Youth Support Scheme and Skillshare Community Organisation, in Camden, Campbelltown and Ingleburn.
Margaret is the elected PSA delegate for Health Professionals Registration Boards (HPRB) with NSW Health Department and is still employed with the HPRB and was elected to the electorate as Women’s Council delegate when the position was vacant in 2004. Currently, Margaret has been active in organising delegate meetings for the staff at Pitt Street Sydney to raise issues and concerns of the workers of the soon to be devolved sections. Further ,she has liaised with the other department delegates during the past and current re-structure of the NSW Health Department. As one of the PSA delegates Margaret has been active in participating in the delegate meetings and in submitting matters for discussion in the then JCC and Workplace meetings. Margaret is working actively for fellow PSA members at Pitt Street and endeavours to support them in their negotiations with management and has circulated “update” newsletters to members.
Margaret has also taken on the duties of a PSA Central Council member following the resignation of Mr Glenn Murray, NSW Health, who was an elected delegate for NSW Health and a member of the PPSA group since June 2006. Margaret has been active in participating and attending all the Women’s forum’s since 2002.
Margaret’s education and experience is that she has a Master of Education, Bachelor of Education and Associate Diploma in Adult Education, Justice of the Peace (no. 111580), ex Women’s Army Service, also was previously an accredited WorkCover trainer, a security officer and a member of VIEW at Camden. She is also an active member of the Ingleburn Branch of the CWA, RSL Sub Branch Women’s Auxiliary, RSL Sub Branch, Victoria Barracks Museum, Arms & Militaria Collectors’ Association of NSW and a licensed shooter and collector of Australian Military History, and holds a gold LR driving license.
Margaret has also been a member of the NSW Health Spokeswoman’s program for two seasons and was granted the NSW Health Department’s Margaret Samuels Scholarship in 2000. The Campbelltown City Council awarded Margaret a community service award in 1998. Margaret is married with two sons.

Max Callaghan
I am currently a vice president of the UTS branch of our union. Prior to this I worked in the public transport sector, and on the waterfront as well as in the construction, metal and petrochemical industries. In all these workplaces I have represented union members as a workplace representative as well as being a participant in sector wide, state, national and international union forums.
I believe we need a union leadership which has a sober, methodical and forceful approach to workplace issues. It is also my belief that our officials should have limited tenure of office with members from the workplace replacing former officials who would then return to the workforce after serving on the executive. This would foster a regime of regular renewal and better reflect the experiences and aspirations of those in the workplace
Officials wage rates should be transparent and determined on the basis of parity with what our members receive. Any annuities, commissions or fees paid to union officials through their positions on board, panels or committees outside the union should be paid into union coffers. Such revenues should be used along with any other union funds to address the current shortcomings in the services and support provided to our delegates and members.

Bruce Robertson
I believe in a strong and independent PSA.
I strongly believe that the position of General Secretary and the Assistant General Secretaries should be selected from the membership.
I do not support the lack of consultation with membership, by the current administration, in pay negotiations and the loss of working conditions that has invariably come with this lack of transparency in the decision making. A lack of transparency further evidenced by the consultation with members we saw with the recent rule changes.
It is time members took back the running of the PSA by voting for the Progressives to lead the reform to ensure the future of the union.

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