ACT Opposition leader Alistair Coe has called on the ACT Public Sector Standards Commissioner to intervene, after Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced a territory-sponsored "yes" campaign ahead of the postal vote on same-sex marriage.
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Mr Coe wrote to Bronwen Overton-Clarke last week asking her "as a matter of urgency" to rule on whether it was appropriate for ACT public servants to become involved in the campaign for marriage equality.
Mr Barr last week gained the endorsement of the ACT's parliament to promote the "yes" campaign, by boosting funding for LGBTIQ support services and using the newly established Office of LGBTIQ Affairs to "activate" existing territory assets like the flag poles in Garema Place.
In his letter, Mr Coe said he was "disturbed" about the implications of the decision on the ACT public service.
"I am concerned that the tasking of ACT public servants to actively participate in this survey through the advocacy for one side of this debate is a politicisation of the public service," Mr Coe said.
"The apolitical nature of the public services is one of its core principles, reaffirmed by these directions. However given this is ACT government sanctioned campaigning, I ask if this is appropriate?"
Mr Coe said it set a "dangerous precedent that the government of the day be allowed to use public funds and the public service to achieve a particular political result, especially when the territory has no power over the matter under the constitution".
"It is not the place of the ACT government, in its official capacity, to campaign with the specific aim of influencing individual voters on a federal issue," Mr Coe said.
Ms Overton-Clarke is yet to respond to Mr Coe.
Mr Barr said last week the government would take "appropriate measures" to ensure impartiality of the public service was not impacted by the campaign.
"Our response would be there are many people who conscientiously object to the federal government's immigration policies or keeping people in detention on Manus Island who undertake appropriate activities as public servants of the government of the day," Mr Barr said.
"Yes there'll always be people who work in the public service who won't agree with what the government of the day is doing but the legislation is very clear and I make this point, what I am doing is very different from what the federal government is doing, [I'm] seeking parliamentary approval for the government's policy to be enacted. I'm not the one committing to spend $122 million without even a parliamentary vote."
