❓ A WA parliamentary question on notice challenges the Premier's office staffing levels, questioning the number of staff, their seniority, and consistency with broader public sector cuts and staffing cap policies. The response defends the staffing levels as consistent with past practice and justified by the Premier's responsibilities.
AnsweredQoN 1164Legislative Council
Asked
19 November 2009
Member
Portfolio
Leader of the House representing the Premier
QuestionView source ↗
MINISTERIAL OFFICES — STAFF EMPLOYMENT DETAILS — OFFICE OF THE PREMIER
I refer to the Premier’s answer to question on notice 1244 regarding staff of ministerial offices. (1) Why has the Premier employed 22 staff in his office when his staffing cap of 150 across all ministerial offices means that there should be only 8.8 staff per office, including his? (2) Why are eight of the Premier’s office staff level 8 and above? (3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE
I refer to the Premier’s answer to question on notice 1244 regarding staff of ministerial offices. (1) Why has the Premier employed 22 staff in his office when his staffing cap of 150 across all ministerial offices means that there should be only 8.8 staff per office, including his? (2) Why are eight of the Premier’s office staff level 8 and above? (3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(1) Why has the Premier employed 22 staff in his office when his staffing cap of 150 across all ministerial offices means that there should be only 8.8 staff per office, including his? (2) Why are eight of the Premier’s office staff level 8 and above? (3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(2) Why are eight of the Premier’s office staff level 8 and above? (3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(1) Why has the Premier employed 22 staff in his office when his staffing cap of 150 across all ministerial offices means that there should be only 8.8 staff per office, including his? (2) Why are eight of the Premier’s office staff level 8 and above? (3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(2) Why are eight of the Premier’s office staff level 8 and above? (3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(3) Why has the Premier not reduced his office staff when he has instructed staff cuts to be made in health, education and police? (4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(4) Has the Premier abandoned his policy of a staffing cap in ministerial offices; and, if not, why is he breaching his own policy? (5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(5) If the Premier has abandoned the staffing cap for ministers’ offices, when did he put the change of policy on the public record? (6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(6) If the Premier has not put it on the public record, why not? Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
Hon NORMAN MOORE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
(1)-(6) The staffing numbers and levels in the Premier’s office are consistent with those of the former Premier. It has been the policy of successive governments to have larger staff complements in the offices of the Premier and Deputy Premier due to their wide public sector responsibilities. It is noted that the previous Labor government had more than 215 ministerial staff employed as per Legislative Council question on notice 4011.
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