The Roger Cook-led Labor Party recorded a comprehensive win in the 8 March state election. Photo: Roger Cook Facebook.
The new Western Australia Government which was re-elected on 8 March has announced a shakeup of the state’s public sector in an effort to renew focus on priorities for the WA community.
Premier Roger Cook says the reforms aim to boost economic resilience to ensure Western Australia continues to generate high-quality jobs in globally uncertain times, and to create centres of building excellence within the public sector which will support a better approach to delivering new hospital capacity and houses for the nation’s fastest growing population.
Aimed to take effect on 1 July and be fully implemented by the end of the year, nine of the current 25 government departments will be affected by the reforms, while an additional department will be created.
Some of the reforms include renaming the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation as the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification (DEED). Energy Policy WA will come into this jobs-focused agency, because secure, affordable and lower carbon energy is so critical to WA’s economic development.
A new Office of Defence Industries will be established within the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC), the central role of DPC will be enhanced by the Coordinator General, and the DPC will be the new home of a new Office of Early Childhood.
The DPC will also take the lead on Aboriginal affairs policy, a move the government says recognises the importance of this to social outcomes, and major project development across the state.
Tourism will now fall under the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport, providing a single agency focused on events and content.
The Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety will be split into two agencies, with the new Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration to administer and drive future development of the resources industry, and the new Department of Local Government, Commerce, Industry Regulation and Safety to provide a more focused contact point for other regulatory functions.
Elsewhere, the Department of Transport will become the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure, with major building capacity from across government – including Westport, major transport infrastructure projects, and hospitals – becoming consolidated within a new Office of Major Infrastructure Delivery (OMID).
The Department of Housing and Works will take responsibility for the building, maintenance and management of social housing stock from the Department of Communities, and taking responsibility for the building and maintenance of smaller infrastructure projects such as schools and police stations from the Department of Finance.
Other existing Department of Finance functions including State Revenue and procurement policy will transfer to the new Department of Treasury and Finance.
Premier Cook said the reforms were about creating a Team WA approach at all levels of government.
“These reforms will ensure we continue to create jobs in globally uncertain times, by backing our resources sector, diversifying our economy for the future and making more things here,” he said.
“The reforms also put energy policy front and centre, recognising how important affordable, secure and lower carbon energy is to maintaining WA’s status as the fastest growing economy in the nation.
“My government values the public sector and each and every worker it employs. We will work closely with the public sector leadership and unions as we implement these reforms over the course of this year.”
Treasurer Rita Saffioti described WA as the engine room of the nation.
“With this strong growth likely to continue to put pressure on our hospitals and housing stock, it is essential that we organise our public sector in the best possible way to meet these challenges,” she said.
“The reforms announced today will create centres of excellence in construction and contract management to oversee our infrastructure and housing programs.
“They will be exciting places to work, with a diverse portfolio of great projects – which will help us retain excellence in delivery skills across the public sector.
“I want to acknowledge our public sector staff who provide an important contribution and service to the state day in, day out. These reforms will bolster the sector’s efforts in delivering on the WA Government’s priorities to continue to benefit our communities in the suburbs and the regions.”
