A new jobs campaign announced by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is nothing more than "smoke and mirrors" argues the union supporting staff who have been chronically over-worked in recent years.
Former NPWS employee with 40 years' service, now Public Service Association organiser Kim de Govrik, says the 250 jobs announced before Christmas fall short of the 300 plus workers made redundant in 2018.
Since 2019, 600,000 hectares have been added to the parks estate, mostly in the western districts and Mr de Govrik says the gains don't outweigh prior losses.
"There has been four years of double workloads with half the number of area managers and senior field supervisors," he says, pointing out an increase in low-paid positions don't make up for the loss of skilled jobs.
The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage responded by saying: "It is incorrect to state that NPWS has been depleted - in fact, the level of resourcing and the level of management activity is at higher levels than ever before.
"Over the last 18 months, NPWS has had significantly more staff than at any other time in its history - around 20pc higher than its previous highest level," said a spokesperson. "This funding will lock in the highest number of trained firefighters in NPWS history. NPWS is delivering record levels of feral animal control and a range of world leading conservation initiatives."
The significant additions to parklands have been important in the quest to maintain viable populations of endangered species, like malleefowl, but PSA organiser Mr de Govrik says there has been no funding to retain cultural attributes like historic buildings: "Old stations' infrastructure are suffering from demolition by neglect."
"All those things that piss off the neighbours - paddock weeds, vertebrate pest and fire control ... they're not being resourced in these new reserves. Old stations' infrastructure are suffering from demolition by neglect. There is no focus on cultural heritage."
Mr de Govrik said in some cases NPWS outbid the neighbours for those reserves.
"If you're going to outbid the locals you've got to show a commitment to the locality."
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