Public service union refuses to back Labor at Victorian election, condemning job cuts and $1.2bn consultant spend

Exclusive: Community and Public Sector Union denounces ‘privatisation by stealth’, joining growing number of unions turning on Carroll government

Victoria’s public servants union says it will not support Labor at this month’s state election, condemning the government for cutting public service jobs while spending $1.2bn on consultants.

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) will announce the decision on Wednesday, joining several other unions that have refused to back Labor or are actively campaigning against the government ahead of the 28 November poll.

Although the CPSU’s Victorian branch is not formally affiliated with Labor, it has worked closely with the party in the past. But its secretary, Jiselle Hanna, told Guardian Australia it can no longer support the government.