Airservices Australia's approach to hiring consultants has been "callous and wasteful", according to its workplace unions.
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Aviation industry figures were calling on Friday for "heads to roll" over the agency's lack of probity, cost control and its failure to get "value for money" from consultancies on the $1.5 billion OneSKY air traffic control system, revealed in a scathing National Audit Office report.
The Community and Public Sector Union, which has many members facing the loss of their jobs at Airservices, says the agency has been caught out by the National Audit Office after spending $9 million on external consultants ICCPM while moving to sack almost 1000 staff.
The consultancy rates were up to 30 per cent higher than the Defence Department was paying ICCPM, the auditors found, with one lucrative contract processed by a senior Airservices executive who was married to ICCPM's chief executive.
The probe by the ANAO looked into Airservices' use of a consultancy firm during its $1.5 billion OneSKY air traffic control and navigation project after a Senate committee alleged "dodgy dealings" with ICCPM.
Now Airservices is in the midst of sacking up to 1000 of its workers, saying it can no longer afford them.
The government's response to the audit was more muted than the unions' with Transport Minister Darren Chester saying he had met with Airservices and told its management he expected improvements in the wake of the Audit Office's report.
CPSU deputy national president Rupert Evans came out swinging on Friday, attacking Airservices' senior management and alleging "callous and wasteful" conduct.
"It beggars belief that they would be wasting millions of dollars on consultants, then turn around and sack hundreds of staff on the grounds that they're broke," the union official said.
"It's entirely unfair and unacceptable that staff are paying the price for the questionable practices of Airservices management.
"Hardworking people who have committed their careers to the safety of Australia's skies are being thrown on the scrapheap so a few consultants can cash in.
"There has been growing unease and disquiet for some time among our members about the way that Airservices' senior management is operating and this audit absolutely reinforces that concern.
"Management's inability to properly deal with consultants casts serious doubt on their ability to be trusted with anything, let alone the safety of Australia's airspace or management of money."
Technical union Professional Australia joined aviation identity Dick Smith in calling for the resignation of Airservices chief executive Jason Harfield.
"The failure to ensure the proper management of probity concerns and conflict of interest issues let alone get value for money fell within the remit of the current CEO," union official Dave Smith said.
"These failings shouldn't have made him a candidate for the CEO position and should see him resign."
Airservices, Mr Harfield and ICCPM have all declined to comment and maintained their public silence on Friday.
Mr Chester's office said in a statement that he expected to see improvements from Airservices in the wake of the ANAO report.
"The report highlights a number of areas where Airservices can improve its procurement and performance," the statement read.
"Airservices has accepted all of the report's six recommendations.
The minister has met with the CEO of Airservices to discuss the report and expressed his expectations on the timely delivery of any changes as a result of the report's recommendations."
