Members win $6 million for the ODPP

The Sydney Morning Herald (7 July 2003) said it:

"The Office of the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions has been granted an 11th hour 10 percent funding boost to avert another court strike and continuing industrial unrest.

The Attorney-General, Bob Debus, confirmed an extra $5.9 million for the DPP yesterday, just hours before lawyers and staff prepared to walk out over under-resourcing and workloads."

The PSA says to all our members "Well done!"

Well done to all of those members who went on strike throughout the State on 9 April 2003.

Well done to all those members who rallied outside the Courts in Sydney, Parramatta and Campbelltown. Well done all those members at Campbelltown who let a Judge know they were outside - you could be heard in Sydney!

Well done to all those members who rallied again outside the Courts in Sydney on 8 May 2003.

Well done to all delegates on the PSA's ODPP Departmental Committee for the leadership they showed in asking the General Secretary to direct members to follow work bans.

Well done to all those members who have followed and stuck to those work bans since May, many in the face of intimidation from management. A special well done to those office managers who supported their staff in the action they were taking.

Well done to those delegates and members who contributed to the PSA's submissions to the Attorney's Budget Review of the ODPP.

Well done to all those members who said "no", you weren't going to give up and go away.

And a big well done to the Chair of the PSA's ODPP Departmental Committee, Andrew Dziedzic, who fulfilled the responsibilities of his position admirably and refused to be deterred by adversity.

Where to from here?

Of course, this is not the end of the PSA's campaign for adequate funding for the ODPP.

We first need to ensure that the $6 million is spent where it is most needed. We then will need to consider the remaining requirements of the Office that will allow it to function properly without placing our members back with workloads they cannot satisfactorily address.

We will be demanding that the Government and the Director make adequate and properly planned provisions for the future needs of the Office.

It is unfortunate that, virtually on the eve of the Government's decision last week, the Director chose a speech to his solicitors to attack the PSA, and in particular, one of his employees for doing his very best to carry out his duties as the PSA's delegate and press the claims of our members, the Director's staff.

One can only speculate whether the Director intended to deflect attention away from the success our delegates and members have achieved, despite the very real obstacles placed in their way by his Office. It seems he felt the need to defend perceived attacks on his dignity.

The PSA sincerely wishes Mr Cowdery, AM QC, as he reminded us, a happy ten days leave.

We intend to pursue the continuing interests of our members directly with him and his Office as and when he will allow us to do so, as well as of course with the Government which, despite our inevitable differences, has never refused to talk to us.

Members are, we hope, assured by the example of our success in the last three months that the PSA will not be deterred by any difficulties we may face in the future. We must build on our hard-won gain of this week.

PS: "Let there be no doubt about it. This win was achieved not because of any forceful drive of the DPP. It was achieved in spite of his absence running around Europe. Never once did he attend the picket line to support his troops. Let him say what he wants, but without the spine and the integrity of the PSA, Public Prosecutions would be pretty much annihilated today." Maurie O'Sullivan.

Previous ODPP Bulletin, June 12