The Illawarra will get two new Service NSW centres, but one of the region’s MPs says all her electorate has been given is a ‘‘middle-finger salute’’.
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On Wednesday, the state government announced work would start in October on the new one-stop shops at Warrawong and Corrimal, which replace existing Roads and Maritime Service motor registries.
‘‘This will be a huge boost to the region and complements Service NSW one-stop shops in Wollongong and Kiama, the site of our very first Service NSW centre,’’ Minister for Finance, Services and Property Dominic Perrottet said.
Motor registry services at Unanderra and Shellharbour will shift to Warrawong, however a digital store would be set up in Shellharbour to assist the transition, Mr Perrottet said.
Staff at the merged registries will be offered ‘‘priority assessment’’ for jobs at the new centres and Mr Perrottet said more jobs would be created as a result.
Public Service Association regional organiser Tony Heathwood said 23 jobs were affected at both motor registries.
‘‘While they’re given a priority assessment to move from RMS in the motor registry to Service [NSW] ... they’re not guaranteed of a job,’’ Mr Heathwood said.
The potential for jobs losses also didn’t sit well with Shellharbour MP Anna Watson, who aired concerns in June that a dozen positions could be at stake if the Shellharbour registry closed.
Ms Watson said she had asked Mr Perrottet about the registry’s future as recently as a month ago.
“He wouldn’t confirm or deny that its future was on the ropes. Today [Wednesday] he makes an announcement indicating that the Shellharbour office will close,’’ she said.
“The Shellharbour electorate, according to the state government, is the new black hole for state government service delivery.
“Corrimal gets a new centre, Warrawong gets a new centre, Kiama already has a new centre, but my electorate gets a middle-finger salute?’’
A spokesman for Service NSW said: ‘‘The creation of the new one-stop shop at Warrawong will deliver more jobs in the Illawarra region overall, creating around 20 full-time positions – more than currently exist in the Unanderra and Shellharbour motor registry centres combined.’’
The spokesman dodged a question about whether the Shellharbour digital store was a temporary arrangement.
‘‘More details about the digital store will be provided for customers once a suitable location has been secured,’’ he said.
Work on a new Service NSW centre at Batemans Bay is under way and one-stop shops are planned to open at Nowra and Ulladulla next year.
