Ag station jobs will be spared - Daily Examiner Grafton, N.S.W.

JOBS at the Trenayr Rd Agricultural Research and Advisory Stationhave been spared the axe in the NSW State Budget handed down onTuesday.

Despite the State Government planning to cull 5000 public servicejobs across the state, NSW Primary Industries Minister KatrinaHodgkinson said on Tuesday regional Department of Primary Industries(DPI) jobs like those at Trenayr would not be among them. "I amproud to announce there will be no regional job cuts at theDepartment of Primary Industries," Ms Hodgkinson said.

"The NSW Government is investing more than $1 billion to ensurethe department continues to provide quality services to rural andregional communities across the state."

Ms Hodgkinson said claims by the State Opposition in the lead-upto the budget that up to 25% of dpi jobs would be cut were"scaremongering".

She said the money allocated to the DPI would help the departmentrecover after "almost two decades of Labor"s bureaucratic bungling".

"This $1.1 billion investment will deliver funding to ensure thatthe services provided by DPI are relevant, sustainable and effectivefor the state"s primary industries sector." "Unlike Labor, the NSWGovernment will not procrastinate when it comes to the role andresponsibilities of the department to our state"s agriculturalcommunity."