The Gutwein Government’s failure to undertake comprehensive COVID preparedness by scrambling at the last minute to hire biosecurity staff has resulted in workers being placed on the job without adequate training.
Shadow Workplace Relations Minister Sarah Lovell said despite the assurances of Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett, it was unacceptable that new workers drafted in to protect Tasmania’s borders have been offered only minimal training and insecure work contracts.
“The Gutwein Government started trawling government departments looking for volunteers to work in biosecurity only last week, days ahead of the borders opening,” Ms Lovell said.
“And those staff were only offered the bare minimum training yesterday.
“Already those workers are saying they haven’t been given enough training to do their jobs adequately and they have been placed on very short contracts.
“It’s incomprehensible the Liberal Government would draft in workers for this most critical of roles and then fail to adequately train them.
“Biosecurity officers are there to protect the state from not only COVID but the threat of incursions of fruit fly and other pests.
“Tasmanians remember the Liberals savagely cut biosecurity resulting in incursions on several fronts just three years ago.
“We have known for some time that our critical biosecurity staff are under-resourced and stretched to the limit – so why was such an important element of Tasmania’s frontline in COVID prevention and preparedness left until the 11th hour?
“Tasmanians need confidence our borders are protected and through the mismanagement of the government, that confidence has taken a blow.”
Sarah Lovell MLC
Shadow Workplace Relations Minister
