Feared visa moves alarm Tassie staff

MORE than 100 Tasmanian public sector jobs are at risk if the Federal Government outsources visa services, independent Denison MHR Andrew Wilkie says.

The Federal Government indicated last year that it intended to outsource visa services to the private sector.

Mr Wilkie said he had been contacted by a number of Hobart-based staff from the Department of Home Affairs who feared they could lose their jobs.

Mr Wilkie called the idea “shortsighted,” and said it could have disastrous consequences.

He also held “grave concerns” about the decision’s impact on national security, saying outsourcing the services could undermine data rity and put sensitive mation at risk.

“Alarmingly, the Government have flagged that they want to outsource an enormous amount of work currently being done by Home Affairs staff. This includes visa processing, fraud assessments, communicating with clients and even character assessments,” Mr Wilkie said.

“By some estimates, over 100 public sector jobs in Tasmania alone are at risk. Some 2000 jobs nationwide could be affected.”

The job figures were based on estimates from the Community and Public Sector Union.

Mr Wilkie said some department staff members were “downright scared”.

“They face losing their job, integinfor- they have no idea where the corporate contractor is going to base these jobs, chances are it won’t be in Hobart,” Mr Wilkie said.

Mr Wilkie yesterday wrote to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urging him to rule out privatisation and departmental job cuts.

A spokesman for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister Alan Tudge said the government was not “privatising” the visa system, but visa applications were forecast to increase from nine million to 13 million a year by 2026-27 and the changes would help manage the increase.

He said staff would be able to focus on more complex and high-risk matters following an increase in automation and digitisation of manual processes.