ETU members demand review of PWC and Territory Generation wasteful spending
Interstate contractors and consultants costing Territorians dearly
Wasteful spending on interstate consultants and contractors at the Territory’s power companies is an extravagance Territorians cannot afford, according to the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).
The ETU’s NT organiser David Hayes said ETU members were angry that frontline positions remain unfilled while PWC and TGen were increasing management positions and using more and more interstate consultants and contractors which is costing Territorians millions of dollars.
“Apart from the consultants and contractors they are also seeing more management positions with the appointment of FIFO managers from Tasmania, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney while both companies refuse to fill frontline vacancies”
“Our members on the front line, the ones who restore the power and keep it working demand answers, they are calling for an independent review into the wasteful use of contractors and consultants while frontline positions in their areas remain unfilled. They also want an investigation looking into the relationships these consultants, contractors may have with senior management and the subsequent procurement practices”
“As Territorians, our members are concerned that every dollar wasted puts upward pressure on power prices and reduces the efficiency and effectiveness of our power networks”
“Our members have highlighted some examples including $700,000 paid to a contractor for cyclone recovery work that could have been done by direct employees at a far cheaper cost to Territorian electricity customers if frontline vacancies had been filled appropriately”
“We have also been made aware of the increasing use of interstate consultants on bloated salaries including one Brisbane based IR consultant who was paid $2800 a day for a year and delivered nothing. We have calculated that approximately $3.9 million was spent on five interstate consultants that collectively delivered no outcomes or benefits, it’s a scandalous waste of money,” Hayes said.
“The ETU supports our members in their demands and call on the NT Government to conduct an independent review and investigation into the use of consultants and contractors and their relationships with senior management as a matter of urgency,” he said.