The Public Service Association will launch a “Lost DPI Dollars” campaign in Orange tomorrow to fight against job cuts at the Department of Primary Industries in regional centres, including Orange.

Up to $12.5 million will be slashed from the local economy if the NSW government follows through on plans to cut 25 per cent of jobs from the DPI.

The Public Service Association is calling on Orange MP Andrew Gee to take the fight for regional jobs to the highest levels of government.

“National Party MPs like Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson have campaigned for DPI jobs in the past,” said PSA Assistant General Secretary Shane O’Brien.

“Now, it looks like they’re just going to stand by and let the Liberals cut a full quarter of DPI jobs. That’s 113 jobs in Orange – worth between $8 million and $12.5 million to the local economy.

“If these jobs are cut, the Coalition Government will be responsible for more job cuts in a single budget that the former Labor Government was in eight years.

“Anything less, and Mr Gee risks loosing his supporters looking to independent alternatives next time they vote,” said O’Brien. “Every job cut from Orange not only means less service for local agriculture, it also means money taken directly out of the tills of local businesses.”

About 1,200 job cuts from the DPI alone are expected to be announced in the Sept. 6 state budget, with other state government departments also set to experience major job cuts.