❓ Hon Kate Doust asks the Treasurer about projected savings for agencies under their jurisdiction, detailing how savings will be achieved and whether forced redundancies will be used. The Treasurer provides a response referencing the Mid-Year Review and outlining strategies for achieving savings without expecting significant redundancies.
AnsweredQoN 2303Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) With reference to the Mid-Year Review, can the Minister please provide the total projected savings for each organisation/agency under the jurisdiction of the Minister and detail how each agency and department will achieve the: (a) one percent General Government Efficiency Dividend; (b) Ongoing General Government Procurement Savings; (c) ICT Savings and Reform; and (d) Assets Investment Program Savings? (2) Can the Minister please advise if any department or agency under their jurisdiction will use forced redundancies to deliver the savings required?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 March 2015
Responded by
Leader of the House representing the Treasurer
Response time
23 days
(1)(a) The agency‑specific impacts of the 1% efficiency dividend savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review. Agencies are to achieve the savings by spending less on lower priority activities that are funded from Consolidated Account appropriation.
(b) The agency‑specific impacts of the ongoing procurement savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review. Agencies are to achieve the savings by spending less on non‑essential items, such as consumables, staff travel and administration costs.
(c) The agency‑specific impacts of the ICT reform savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review, noting that $25 million of the savings have been re‑allocated to establish an ICT Renewal and Reform Fund to support agencies with specific and cost‑effective ICT solutions from 2015‑16. Agencies are to achieve the savings by spending less on ICT services, such as ICT consultants.
(d) The agency‑specific impacts of the Asset Investment Program savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review. The impacts on individual projects are being considered as part of the 2015‑16 Budget process.
Agencies are to achieve the savings by leveraging off the softening in the construction market. Building cost escalation is lower than estimated and final tender results are coming in below pre‑tender estimates for a variety of projects across the public sector.
(2) The objective of the (1)(a) is to reduce agencies' spending on lower priority, discretionary items. This is not expected to result in significant structural changes whereby employees are considered surplus to requirement. However, specific agency‑level responses to find efficiency savings are being determined by agencies in formulating the 2015‑16 Budget to be presented on 14 May 2015.
The savings measures in (1)(b)-(d) are not related to salaries, so these should not lead to forced redundancies.
(b) The agency‑specific impacts of the ongoing procurement savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review. Agencies are to achieve the savings by spending less on non‑essential items, such as consumables, staff travel and administration costs.
(c) The agency‑specific impacts of the ICT reform savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review, noting that $25 million of the savings have been re‑allocated to establish an ICT Renewal and Reform Fund to support agencies with specific and cost‑effective ICT solutions from 2015‑16. Agencies are to achieve the savings by spending less on ICT services, such as ICT consultants.
(d) The agency‑specific impacts of the Asset Investment Program savings are disclosed in Appendix 3 of the 2014‑15 Mid‑year Review. The impacts on individual projects are being considered as part of the 2015‑16 Budget process.
Agencies are to achieve the savings by leveraging off the softening in the construction market. Building cost escalation is lower than estimated and final tender results are coming in below pre‑tender estimates for a variety of projects across the public sector.
(2) The objective of the (1)(a) is to reduce agencies' spending on lower priority, discretionary items. This is not expected to result in significant structural changes whereby employees are considered surplus to requirement. However, specific agency‑level responses to find efficiency savings are being determined by agencies in formulating the 2015‑16 Budget to be presented on 14 May 2015.
The savings measures in (1)(b)-(d) are not related to salaries, so these should not lead to forced redundancies.
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