❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about voluntary redundancies within the Department of Housing and Works, including the number of staff rehired after redundancy and the associated costs. The Department provides data on redundancy numbers and costs from 2017-2025 and cites regulations preventing re-employment during a restriction period.
AnsweredQoN 1115Legislative Council
Asked
11 December 2025
Member
Portfolio
Planning and Lands; Housing and Works; Health Infrastructure
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to all employees of the Department of Housing and Works 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) for 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
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Planning and Lands; Housing and Works; Health Infrastructure
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)
i) 2017-18 = 65
ii) 2018-19 = 3
iii)2019-20 = 10
iv) 2020-21 = 0
v) 2021-22 = 1
vi) 2022-23 = 1
vii) 2023-24 = 1
viii) 2024-25 = 2
c)
i) 2017-18 = $6,810,898.06
ii) 2018-19 = $244,401.27
iii)2019-20 = $871,004.04
iv) 2020-21 = 0
v) 2021-22 = $155,242.35
vi) 2022-23 = $92,361.40
vii) 2023-24 = $114,569.78
viii) 2024-25 = $416,770.29
b)
i) 2017-18 = 65
ii) 2018-19 = 3
iii)2019-20 = 10
iv) 2020-21 = 0
v) 2021-22 = 1
vi) 2022-23 = 1
vii) 2023-24 = 1
viii) 2024-25 = 2
c)
i) 2017-18 = $6,810,898.06
ii) 2018-19 = $244,401.27
iii)2019-20 = $871,004.04
iv) 2020-21 = 0
v) 2021-22 = $155,242.35
vi) 2022-23 = $92,361.40
vii) 2023-24 = $114,569.78
viii) 2024-25 = $416,770.29
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