General News
28 March, 2025
Council continues to oppose agreement
Council's decision to appeal a new staff agreement has drawn the ire of a regional council and workers union.
The Central Goldfields Shire Council has been condemned for using ratepayer funds to oppose a new staff agreement in the Federal Court, with council arguing its opposition is in the best interests of staff and the community.
The new agreement, which would cover both Central Goldfields and Ararat councils, could see unsustainable wage increases for staff and lead to layoffs in the local government sector, council argues.
The Australian Services Union (ASU) first approached council in March last year regarding the agreement, which would enable staff from different councils to collectively bargain for better conditions.
Despite a majority of staff showing support in favour of the agreement, the Central Goldfields has continually opposed the agreement, with the matter now before the Federal Court after council chose, at the expense of ratepayers, to appeal a Fair Work Commission ruling in favour of the agreement late last year.
Ararat Rural City Council CEO Dr Tim Harrison was critical of council’s onerous decision to lodge an appeal.
“It is Central Goldfields Shire Council’s decision alone to appeal the determination of the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission,” he said.
“[Ararat] has no inclination to appeal, and we would never waste ratepayer funds on a Federal Court appeal.”
The Central Goldfields has confirmed it is negotiating with Ararat in good faith, however is awaiting the outcome of the appeal process.
Central Goldfields’ interim CEO Sally Jones remained firm that the decision to appeal is in the best interests of staff, the community and the broader local government sector.
“[The agreement] may result in wage increases and conditions that do not align with individual councils’ financial and operational circumstances, potentially leading to budget constraints, reduced services, or workforce reductions,” she said.
“Our preference is for a local EBA so that we can negotiate agreements specific to our workforce needs — ensuring fair wages and conditions while maintaining financial sustainability.
“The sudden shift to single interest bargaining without prior discussion undermines established processes and disregards our ability to make independent workforce decisions,” she said.
“While this is only impacting two rural councils currently, we are essentially a test case for the local government sector. This has the potential to set wide-ranging precedents for councils across the state with implications for years to come.”
Contrary to this, the ASU states the agreement was endorsed not only by workers at the Central Goldfields but also Ararat, the Australian Nurses and Midwives Federation and Professionals Australia.
ASU secretary Tash Wark condemned council’s position on the matter, arguing the CEO’s comments are “reckless” and ignore the rights of staff.
“For Ms Jones to say Central Goldfields Shire are using this decision, and by extension the wages and conditions of their workers, as a ‘test case’, is both cruel and reckless,” she said.
“What Ms Jones is saying is the council’s expensive appeal to the Federal Court is not about looking after employees but rather as a stalking horse for vested interests in keeping local government wages down, in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.
“It is a bleak situation when the CEO, invested by elected councillors with the well-being of council employees, turns on them so viciously as to disregard their majority desire to negotiate alongside their Ararat colleagues.
“The ASU will continue to bargain in good faith with Central Goldfields Shire Council while we await the outcome of the Federal Court decision, and we are standing alongside the workers at Central Goldfields, even if their CEO is not.”