❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks data on SES positions in the public sector, including changes, recruitment processes, and contract terminations. The answer provides expenditure data and lists terminated contracts, some with compensation.
AnsweredQoN 587Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) How many SES positions were in the public sector in 2024-25? (2) How does this compare with the previous year? (3) With the latest Machinery of Government changes have the number of SES positions increased or decreased, and if so by how many: (a) If decreased, what has happened to the staff occupying those positions; and (b) If it has increased, have competitive recruitment and selection processes been undertaken for each of the additional positions? (4) How many SES contracts terminated in 2024-25 prior to their expiration: (a) What were the positions; and (b) What was the cost of the pay outs for each termination?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2025
Response time
6 days
(1) and (2)
Since December 2021, monitoring and reporting on the SES is undertaken on an expenditure basis through the Executive Salary Expenditure Limit (ESEL), which limits spending on SES officers and other management executives at 0.9% of the total public sector salaries.
This remains well below the limit, at 0.73% for 2024/2025 and 0.72% for 2023/2024.
(3a)
Financial Figures are calculated as at March each year, showing a 0.01 percentage point
increase against the total public salaries expenditure of the sector.
(3b)
All recruitment processes must occur in accordance with the Employment Standard and other Commissioner’s instructions.
(4a) and (4b)
Agencies report that, for a range of reasons, the following SES contracts ceased during the period 1/7/24 to 31/3/25 prior to their expiration:
31 positions involved no compensation payments:
(1) Director Operational Assurance, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
(2) Director General, Department of Education
(3) Coordinator General, Department of Energy and Economic Diversification
(4) Director Licensing Services, Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
(5) Chief Strategy and Member Experience Officer, Government Employee Superannuation Board
(6) Executive Director Driver and Vehicle Services, Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
(7) Director General, Department of Training and Workforce Development
(8) Chief Information Officer, Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
(9) Director Strategic Policy, Department of Communities
(10) Assistant Director General Aboriginal Outcomes Department of Communities
(11) Director Electricity Networks and Customer Participation, Department of Local
Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
(12) Director Budget Strategy, Department of Health
(13) General Manager Valuation Services, Landgate
(14) Executive Director Aboriginal Justice Transformation, Department of Justice
(15) Executive Director Office of Multicultural Interests, Department of Creative
Industries, Tourism and Sport
(16) Director Performance & Evaluation, Department of Treasury and Finance
(17) Senior Director Digital Transformation and Technology, Department of the Premier
and Cabinet
(18) Assistant Executive Director Examinations Certification and Testing, Department of
Education
(19) Assistant Director General Business and Corporate Services, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
(20) Executive Director Energy Transition Strategies, Department of Energy and
Economic Diversification
(21) Director, Kimberley Development Commission
(22) Executive Director Industry Development, Department of Energy and Economic Diversification
(23) Director General Health, Department of Health
(24) Executive Director Regional Business Development, Department of Primary
Industries and Regional Development
(25) General Manager Organisational Services, South Metropolitan TAFE
(26) Executive Director Service Delivery, Department of Training and Workforce
Development
(27) Director Training Resource Allocation, Department of Training and Workforce Development
(28) Director Asset Management, Western Australia Police Force
(29) Director Financial Policy and Reform, Department of Health
(30) Executive Director Intergovernmental Relations, Department of the Premier and Cabinet
(31) Chief Executive Officer, ChemCentreWA
5 positions involved compensation payments pursuant to Section 59, Public Sector Management Act 1994 :
(1) Deputy Director General Industry Regulation and Consumer Protection, Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety involved a payment of $306,814.98
(2) Executive Director, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority involved a payment of $214,186.05
(3) Director Treatment Services, Mental Health Commission involved a payment of $213,903.05
(4) Director General, Department of Finance involved a payment of $284,637.42
(5) Director General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet involved a payment of $615,056.73
Since December 2021, monitoring and reporting on the SES is undertaken on an expenditure basis through the Executive Salary Expenditure Limit (ESEL), which limits spending on SES officers and other management executives at 0.9% of the total public sector salaries.
This remains well below the limit, at 0.73% for 2024/2025 and 0.72% for 2023/2024.
(3a)
Financial Figures are calculated as at March each year, showing a 0.01 percentage point
increase against the total public salaries expenditure of the sector.
(3b)
All recruitment processes must occur in accordance with the Employment Standard and other Commissioner’s instructions.
(4a) and (4b)
Agencies report that, for a range of reasons, the following SES contracts ceased during the period 1/7/24 to 31/3/25 prior to their expiration:
31 positions involved no compensation payments:
(1) Director Operational Assurance, Department of Water and Environmental Regulation
(2) Director General, Department of Education
(3) Coordinator General, Department of Energy and Economic Diversification
(4) Director Licensing Services, Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
(5) Chief Strategy and Member Experience Officer, Government Employee Superannuation Board
(6) Executive Director Driver and Vehicle Services, Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
(7) Director General, Department of Training and Workforce Development
(8) Chief Information Officer, Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
(9) Director Strategic Policy, Department of Communities
(10) Assistant Director General Aboriginal Outcomes Department of Communities
(11) Director Electricity Networks and Customer Participation, Department of Local
Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
(12) Director Budget Strategy, Department of Health
(13) General Manager Valuation Services, Landgate
(14) Executive Director Aboriginal Justice Transformation, Department of Justice
(15) Executive Director Office of Multicultural Interests, Department of Creative
Industries, Tourism and Sport
(16) Director Performance & Evaluation, Department of Treasury and Finance
(17) Senior Director Digital Transformation and Technology, Department of the Premier
and Cabinet
(18) Assistant Executive Director Examinations Certification and Testing, Department of
Education
(19) Assistant Director General Business and Corporate Services, Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage
(20) Executive Director Energy Transition Strategies, Department of Energy and
Economic Diversification
(21) Director, Kimberley Development Commission
(22) Executive Director Industry Development, Department of Energy and Economic Diversification
(23) Director General Health, Department of Health
(24) Executive Director Regional Business Development, Department of Primary
Industries and Regional Development
(25) General Manager Organisational Services, South Metropolitan TAFE
(26) Executive Director Service Delivery, Department of Training and Workforce
Development
(27) Director Training Resource Allocation, Department of Training and Workforce Development
(28) Director Asset Management, Western Australia Police Force
(29) Director Financial Policy and Reform, Department of Health
(30) Executive Director Intergovernmental Relations, Department of the Premier and Cabinet
(31) Chief Executive Officer, ChemCentreWA
5 positions involved compensation payments pursuant to Section 59, Public Sector Management Act 1994 :
(1) Deputy Director General Industry Regulation and Consumer Protection, Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety involved a payment of $306,814.98
(2) Executive Director, Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority involved a payment of $214,186.05
(3) Director Treatment Services, Mental Health Commission involved a payment of $213,903.05
(4) Director General, Department of Finance involved a payment of $284,637.42
(5) Director General, Department of the Premier and Cabinet involved a payment of $615,056.73
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