SLIPPERY GOWARD FUDGES TRUTH AGAIN ON CASEWORKER NUMBERS NSW Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward has again been caught out fudging the truth about caseworker numbers – persisting with her claim that vacancies in DOCS are the lowest in a decade despite being personally briefed that they have risen from 7 to 10 per cent. In Question Time today, the NSW Opposition referred to papers tabled at the Ministerial Policy Meeting of July 8 between Ms Goward and her Director General which show the vacancy rate is 10 per cent. Ms Goward’s claim to the Parliament – repeated today – that the vacancy rate is lower rests on outdated data. The vacancy rate refers to the level of staffing shortage at DOCS – and explains why caseworkers are failing to follow-up reports of children at risk of abuse or harm. Shadow Minister for Family and Community Services Linda Burney said: “Pru Goward can’t claim caseworker vacancy rates are improving – when the most recent information from her department shows vacancies have risen to 10 per cent.” “This is a Minister unwilling to acknowledge any data that backs up caseworkers’ claims of dangerous vacancy rates. “Given the serious revelations about caseworker shortages on her watch, you would think Minister Goward would want the most up to date information. “Sadly, this isn’t the case.” “When presented with inconvenient figures, Ms Goward’s first instinct is to bury them – and when questioned fudge the truth.” Also in Parliament today, Minister Goward was unable to explain why she doctored Hansard to disguise whether the O’Farrell Government has imposed a moratorium on caseworker recruitment in order to cut costs. HOW GOWARD MISLED PARLIAMENT LIE 1: “I certainly have not received a report from Ernst and Young to that effect.” (Pru Goward, Budget Estimates 12 August 2013) LIE 2: “I had not seen that [Ernst and Young report] draft.” (Pru Goward, NSW Parliament, 13 August 2013). Pru Goward subsequently admitted the Ernst and Young report was emailed to her twice, mentioned four times on the Agenda of the July 8 meeting and enclosed as an attachment to that Agenda. LIE 3: 'There are over 2,000 Community Services caseworkers in NSW, as it has been for a number of years.” (Pru Goward, 27 June 2013) The Ernst and Young report confirms there are only 1797 caseworkers. LIE 4: “[Pru Goward writing to her Director General] I refer to the Briefing Note received in my office by email at 6.19pm on Monday 4 March 2012. This briefing note communicates for the first time that Community Services have fallen below 30 June 2012 levels, with a decline of 69 headcount and 66 full-time-equivalent positions in the period 1 July to 31 December 2012. Yesterday I advised you that it was my intention to advise the Parliament of this new information about the number of Community Services caseworkers in the Department.” Pru Goward never corrected the record in Parliament. LIE 5: “There has never been a moratorium on caseworker recruitment.” (Pru Goward, NSW Parliament). Pru Goward later doctored Hansard to read: “There has never been a moratorium on caseworker recruitment by me.”
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 10:50:58 +0000
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