The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) Victorian Branch today celebrated a major victory in its campaign against public service job cuts, successfully defending over two-thirds of the 6,000 positions targeted by the Silver Review.

The union welcomed its long-awaited release and the Allan Government's response that show potential job losses reduced by over two thirds; but warned further work is needed to achieve budget repair without staff or service cuts.

In a powerful validation of the CPSU's position, the Silver Review contains significant overlap with the Gold Review, an independent policy paper that outlined alternative ways to achieve savings released by A Voice for Members' campaign during the CPSU Victorian Branch elections earlier this year.

In a surprise move after months of intense campaigning against her work, the CPSU thanked Helen Silver AO for validating and concurring with many of the union’s earlier findings.

"We said consistently that the Victorian Public Service is already very efficient and right-sized; that savings can be achieved without resorting to the blunt weapon of job cuts; and that we could get more impactful savings by reducing the number of senior executives," Gold Review author and CPSU Victorian Branch Assistant Secretary Mitch Vandewerdt-Holman said.

Jiselle Hanna, CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary said, "we recognise cabinet’s prerogative to determine how the machinery of government is organised. But the essential services and functions Victorians rely on need a public service that is properly resourced and supported, staffed by public servants working in the public interest with fair workloads and conditions."

While only some of the Silver Review's proposals have been accepted by the Allan Government, over 1,000 full-time equivalent positions will still be lost from the VPS. This includes roles cut by stealth in the 2025-26 Victorian State Budget informed by Silver's advice, which the CPSU has fought against since July.

"The CPSU also rejects the Silver Review's unspoken supposition that government should be smaller and do less. Government already cannot do what Victorians expect it to. We know they want their government to do more essential work - whether that is public housing, public safety, or public transport," said Ms Hanna.

"The blind-faith obsession with outsourcing costs the state more by reducing our capability, increasing long-term costs, and making budget repair harder."

Still on foot are proposed agency mergers, consolidations, and closures. The union has committed to supporting commonsense changes but would continue to fight for fair conditions and workloads, reducing the disruption for our members, and challenging every proposed job cut.

CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary Jiselle Hanna added: "Our 'Victoria Works Because We Do' campaign has mobilised union members in every workplace to push back against job losses and propose practical, cost-effective alternatives—drawn from the firsthand experience of people who deliver public services every day. We dared to fight in a smart and organised way and we saved thousands of jobs."

Media Contacts:

Mitch Vandewerdt-Holman, CPSU Victorian Branch Assistant Secretary – 0427702510

Jiselle Hanna, CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary – 0411054859

CPSU Media – media@cpsuvic.org