❓ The question seeks details on increases to the public sector employee cap since February 2009, including dates, numbers, Cabinet endorsement, and employee numbers at the time of increases. The answer avoids directly answering the question, instead providing context on past government spending and the current government's approach to managing public sector numbers.
AnsweredQoN 3733Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Please advise, for the period since 2 February 2009:
(a) on what dates was the public sector cap increased;
(b) for each date the cap was increased please specify to what number of employees this applied;
(c) were these increases endorsed by Cabinet; and
(i) if so, on what dates; and
(d) what was the number of public service employees on the dates that the public sector cap was increased?
(a) on what dates was the public sector cap increased;
(b) for each date the cap was increased please specify to what number of employees this applied;
(c) were these increases endorsed by Cabinet; and
(i) if so, on what dates; and
(d) what was the number of public service employees on the dates that the public sector cap was increased?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 September 2010
Response time
33 days
(a)-(d) Under the previous government, the public service salary bill nearly doubled, rising from less than $4 billion in 2000-01 to around $7.5 billion in 2008-09. The number of full-time equivalents grew in one year by 5,000 (100 a week). In February 2009 the current state government announced a ceiling on public servant numbers to providing the government with a dynamic management tool to restore control and discipline to the public service. The ceiling was adjusted in August 2009 when it was discovered that figures used to establish the initial ceiling was based on incorrect figures published in the final budget of the previous government. For example, in the previous government's figures several agencies, including health and planning and infrastructure, provided incorrect data to the 2008-09
Budget
Statements
which failed to count 799 FTE positions that were, for example, vacant or belonged to officers on leave.
The FTE Ceiling is re-set each year as part of the annual budget process, to ensure that it reflects the FTE implications of decisions made by the Government.
There are a number of methodological challenges in aligning FTE Ceiling data and PSC Workforce Reports, which are being addressed. The overall aim of the FTE Ceiling is to put in place a mechanism to ensure that FTEs do not grow without the explicit approval of Cabinet, and that Ministers and Chief Executive Officers are accountable for FTE levels. Preliminary results for 2009-10 indicate that the rate of growth in salaries expenditure is at its lowest since 2003-04.
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Budget
Statements
which failed to count 799 FTE positions that were, for example, vacant or belonged to officers on leave.
The FTE Ceiling is re-set each year as part of the annual budget process, to ensure that it reflects the FTE implications of decisions made by the Government.
There are a number of methodological challenges in aligning FTE Ceiling data and PSC Workforce Reports, which are being addressed. The overall aim of the FTE Ceiling is to put in place a mechanism to ensure that FTEs do not grow without the explicit approval of Cabinet, and that Ministers and Chief Executive Officers are accountable for FTE levels. Preliminary results for 2009-10 indicate that the rate of growth in salaries expenditure is at its lowest since 2003-04.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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