❓ Mr. Krsticevic asks the Premier for an update on the size and composition of WA's public sector workforce. The Premier responds by highlighting reforms, workforce reductions, and efforts to improve efficiency and integrity, while also criticising the previous Labor government's management of the public sector.
AnsweredQoN 717Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PUBLIC
SECTOR WORKFORCE
717. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the
Premier:
Can the Premier please update the house on the number and
composition of Western Australia's public sector workforce?
SECTOR WORKFORCE
717. Mr A. KRSTICEVIC to the
Premier:
Can the Premier please update the house on the number and
composition of Western Australia's public sector workforce?
AnswerView source ↗
This government has been accused of spending too much money
and the like, which is the usual sort of political rhetoric, but we have also
undertaken long overdue reform of the Western Australian public sector. One of
the first decisions of this government was to set up a Public Sector
Commissioner so that it was no longer the Premier of the day who was the head
of the public service, but a professional, paid, top employee of the public
service, in Malcolm Wauchope. That has been a great success. It has created
genuine independence and professionalism in our public sector. We also had to
rebuild the public sector, because it is a fact that during the Labor years,
when minister after minister was going through the revolving door of the
Corruption and Crime Commission, many of our best young public servants left the
public service. They left the public service because they did want to work for
ministers who were appearing before the CCC; they left in droves. We are in the
process of rebuilding the public service.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
tell members what: a few of them spoke to me about it at the time. They were
ashamed to work for a government like that—ashamed! I remind members
opposite, who are now getting a little shrill, that when the Labor Party came
into power they sacked about 40 senior public servants—they were
long-serving public servants—so we had a job to do to restore
confidence and integrity to the Western Australian public service.
We have also introduced—I know it is unpopular with
members opposite—involuntary redundancy. No-one should have a job for
life if they are not productive and not cooperative, and that will come into
law on 1 January. It will not be many employees, but no-one in the twenty-first
century has a divine right to be paid every week whether they are productive at
work or not. That change is important. The number of employees in the public
sector is also important.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Part of this is also controlling numbers and growth in the public sector. I am
pleased to report that over the last year, the number of public servants has
reduced for the first time in a long time. From a total of 109 000 public
servants, the number has fallen by 1 545. We not only have contained but also
are reducing the absolute size of the Western Australian public service. In
terms of senior positions, as defined as managers, according to the Australian
and New Zealand standard classification, the number has fallen from 7.8 per cent
of the workforce to 7.2 per cent. I still think that there is some way to go,
but we are progressively building an independent and professional public
service that is more streamlined.
and the like, which is the usual sort of political rhetoric, but we have also
undertaken long overdue reform of the Western Australian public sector. One of
the first decisions of this government was to set up a Public Sector
Commissioner so that it was no longer the Premier of the day who was the head
of the public service, but a professional, paid, top employee of the public
service, in Malcolm Wauchope. That has been a great success. It has created
genuine independence and professionalism in our public sector. We also had to
rebuild the public sector, because it is a fact that during the Labor years,
when minister after minister was going through the revolving door of the
Corruption and Crime Commission, many of our best young public servants left the
public service. They left the public service because they did want to work for
ministers who were appearing before the CCC; they left in droves. We are in the
process of rebuilding the public service.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
tell members what: a few of them spoke to me about it at the time. They were
ashamed to work for a government like that—ashamed! I remind members
opposite, who are now getting a little shrill, that when the Labor Party came
into power they sacked about 40 senior public servants—they were
long-serving public servants—so we had a job to do to restore
confidence and integrity to the Western Australian public service.
We have also introduced—I know it is unpopular with
members opposite—involuntary redundancy. No-one should have a job for
life if they are not productive and not cooperative, and that will come into
law on 1 January. It will not be many employees, but no-one in the twenty-first
century has a divine right to be paid every week whether they are productive at
work or not. That change is important. The number of employees in the public
sector is also important.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Part of this is also controlling numbers and growth in the public sector. I am
pleased to report that over the last year, the number of public servants has
reduced for the first time in a long time. From a total of 109 000 public
servants, the number has fallen by 1 545. We not only have contained but also
are reducing the absolute size of the Western Australian public service. In
terms of senior positions, as defined as managers, according to the Australian
and New Zealand standard classification, the number has fallen from 7.8 per cent
of the workforce to 7.2 per cent. I still think that there is some way to go,
but we are progressively building an independent and professional public
service that is more streamlined.
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