Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 1127

❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about DFES employees who previously accepted voluntary redundancies, and the cost of voluntary redundancies from 2017-2025. The answer provides data on the number and cost of voluntary redundancies for each financial year, and refers to regulations regarding re-employment after redundancy.

AnsweredQoN 1127Legislative Council

Asked

11 December 2025

Member

Hon Steve Martin

Portfolio

Emergency Services; Corrective Services; Defence Industries; Veterans; Racing and Gaming

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to all employees of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and I ask: (a) as of 30 June 2025, how many staff employed by the Department had previously accepted a voluntary redundancy for a former role at the Department, earlier iterations of the Department (e.g. after machinery of government changes), or any other Western Australian Government Department(s) or their earlier iterations: (i) at least once; (ii) at least twice; (iii) at least three times; (iv) at least four times; (v) at least five times; and (vi) more than five times; (b) for each of the following years, how many voluntary redundancies were taken by staff employed by the Department: (i) 2017-18; (ii) 2018-19; (iii) 2019-20; (iv) 2020-21; (v) 2021-22; (vi) 2022-23; (vii) 2023-24; and (viii) 2024-25; and (c) fFor each of the years in (b) what was the total cost of paying out voluntary redundancies for staff employed by the Department?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

24 February 2026

Responded by

Minister for the Environment representing the Minister for Emergency Services; Corrective Services; Defence Industries; Veterans; Racing and Gaming

Response time

5 days

(a) The Public Sector Management (Redeployment and Redundancy) Regulations 2014 require that a person who has accepted a voluntary redundancy is not re-employed in the Western Australian public sector during the mandatory restriction period prescribed under Regulation 17. Where a public sector employee returns to public sector employment within the mandatory restriction period, repayment of relevant entitlement is required. The Department ensures compliance with these employment regulations for all current employees.
(b-c)
Financial Year
(b) Number of voluntary redundancies
(c) Total Cost
(i)            2017-18
44
$5,611,989.19
(ii)         2018-19
8
$1,416,421.76
(iii)       2019-20
3
$321,627.43
(iv)        2020-21
4
$546,959.86
(v)          2021-22
1
$73,139.00
(vi)        2022-23
1
$104,240.16
(vii)     2023-24
4
$501,892.48
(viii)   2024-25
4
$752,834.56
*Current as at 19 January 2026

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