Public service union refuses to back Labor at Victorian election, condemning job cuts and $1.2bn consultant spend
News Source
โขWed, 04 Nov 2026 02:44:49 GMT
๐ฐ What Happened
The union representing Victoria's public servants will not back Labor at the state election. The CPSU has condemned public sector job cuts and a $1.2bn bill for outside consultants. It says the government has broken trust with the people who run schools, hospitals and offices.
The decision is a blow for Labor weeks before Victorians vote on 28 November. Unions have campaigned for Labor for generations. Several have now pulled advertising or funding, and some are running their own attacks on the government.
๐ The Backstory
Victoria's public sector has shrunk through a series of efficiency drives. Departments were told to cut spending while spending on consultants and contractors kept rising. The union says that trade has cost expertise and made services slower.
Labor has relied on union support in every Victorian campaign for decades. Losing it does not mean workers will vote for the Liberals, but it weakens the ground game. It also hands the opposition a line to use against the government.
๐ฏ Why It Matters
Fewer public servants can mean longer waits for permits, payments and hospital care. Union mood can also swing the close seats that decide who governs.
The union representing Victoria's public servants will not back Labor at the state election. The CPSU has condemned public sector job cuts and a $1.2bn bill for outside consultants. It says the government has broken trust with the people who run schools, hospitals and offices.
The decision is a blow for Labor weeks before Victorians vote on 28 November. Unions have campaigned for Labor for generations. Several have now pulled advertising or funding, and some are running their own attacks on the government.
Victoria's public sector has shrunk through a series of efficiency drives. Departments were told to cut spending while spending on consultants and contractors kept rising. The union says that trade has cost expertise and made services slower.
Labor has relied on union support in every Victorian campaign for decades. Losing it does not mean workers will vote for the Liberals, but it weakens the ground game. It also hands the opposition a line to use against the government.
Fewer public servants can mean longer waits for permits, payments and hospital care. Union mood can also swing the close seats that decide who governs.