❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding Attraction and Retention Benefits (ARBs) within various government agencies. The response details the number of non-SES positions receiving ARIs, their percentage of the workforce, the total annual value, and the number of ARB arrangements reviewed and discontinued since July 2023.
AnsweredQoN 1098Legislative Assembly
Asked
2 December 2025
Member
Portfolio
Creative Industries; Heritage; Industrial Relations; Aged Care and Seniors; Women
QuestionView source ↗
For all agencies, departments and trading enterprises within the Minister’s portfolio of responsibilities, I ask: (a) how many officers in each department, agency or trading enterprise receive “Attraction and Retention" (ARB) benefits; (b) what is this number as a percentage of the organisation's workforce; (c) what is the total annual value of these benefits; and (d) since 1 July 2023, how many ARB arrangements have been reviewed and discontinued?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 February 2026
Responded by
Minister for Creative Industries; Heritage; Industrial Relations; Aged Care and Seniors; Women
Response time
4 days
Please refer to the response provided in the Legislative Assembly Question on Notice 1092 regarding Senior Executive Service positions.
a) The Government Sector Labour Relations (GSLR) and the Public Sector Commission (PSC) have oversight of, and authorise, attraction and retention incentives (ARIs) in public sector departments and agencies. GSLR and PSC are not responsible for the oversight or approval of ARIs for government trading enterprises.
As of 31 December 2025, 254 non-Senior Executive Service (non-SES) positions 1 across eight public sector employers were approved to receive ARIs as summarised in Table 1.
Table 1: Non-SES positions 1 receiving ARIs by employer – 31 December 2025
Department, agency or trading enterprise
Number of positions
Department of Education
126
Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
89
Department of Health
21
Department of Communities
12
Department of Premier and Cabinet
3
Department of Housing and Works
1
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
1
Landgate
1
1 Positions may be vacant or filled by more than one officer due to part-time arrangements.
b) Table 2: Proportion of non-SES positions 1 receiving ARIs by employer – 31 December 2025
Department, agency or trading enterprise
Per cent (%)
Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
5.3
Department of Premier and Cabinet
0.4
Department of Communities
0.2
Landgate
0.2
Department of Education
0.2
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
0.0
Department of Housing and Works
0.0
Department of Health
0.0
WA public sector
0.2
1 Derived by dividing the number of positions approved to receive an ARI by the number of Full Time Equivalents at each employer. These proportions will be slightly understated due to the inclusion of SES employees in the underpinning FTE counts.
c) Table 3: Total annual benefit of non-SES ARIs – Year ending 31 December 2025
Department, agency or trading enterprise
Annual value
Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
$2,724,715
Department of Education
$1,364,963
Department of Health
$1,086,974
Department of Communities
$532,800
Department of Premier and Cabinet
$190,712
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
$60,000
Department of Housing and Works
$45,451
Landgate
$33,803
All other departments, agencies and trading enterprises
$0
Total
$6,039,417
d) Between 1 July 2023 and 31 December 2025, 44 non-SES ARI arrangements 1 have been reviewed at the conclusion of their specified approval period. Four of these arrangements were discontinued, and 40 arrangements were approved for a further term.
1 An ARI arrangement may be approved for more than one position.
a) The Government Sector Labour Relations (GSLR) and the Public Sector Commission (PSC) have oversight of, and authorise, attraction and retention incentives (ARIs) in public sector departments and agencies. GSLR and PSC are not responsible for the oversight or approval of ARIs for government trading enterprises.
As of 31 December 2025, 254 non-Senior Executive Service (non-SES) positions 1 across eight public sector employers were approved to receive ARIs as summarised in Table 1.
Table 1: Non-SES positions 1 receiving ARIs by employer – 31 December 2025
Department, agency or trading enterprise
Number of positions
Department of Education
126
Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
89
Department of Health
21
Department of Communities
12
Department of Premier and Cabinet
3
Department of Housing and Works
1
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
1
Landgate
1
1 Positions may be vacant or filled by more than one officer due to part-time arrangements.
b) Table 2: Proportion of non-SES positions 1 receiving ARIs by employer – 31 December 2025
Department, agency or trading enterprise
Per cent (%)
Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
5.3
Department of Premier and Cabinet
0.4
Department of Communities
0.2
Landgate
0.2
Department of Education
0.2
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
0.0
Department of Housing and Works
0.0
Department of Health
0.0
WA public sector
0.2
1 Derived by dividing the number of positions approved to receive an ARI by the number of Full Time Equivalents at each employer. These proportions will be slightly understated due to the inclusion of SES employees in the underpinning FTE counts.
c) Table 3: Total annual benefit of non-SES ARIs – Year ending 31 December 2025
Department, agency or trading enterprise
Annual value
Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety
$2,724,715
Department of Education
$1,364,963
Department of Health
$1,086,974
Department of Communities
$532,800
Department of Premier and Cabinet
$190,712
Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure
$60,000
Department of Housing and Works
$45,451
Landgate
$33,803
All other departments, agencies and trading enterprises
$0
Total
$6,039,417
d) Between 1 July 2023 and 31 December 2025, 44 non-SES ARI arrangements 1 have been reviewed at the conclusion of their specified approval period. Four of these arrangements were discontinued, and 40 arrangements were approved for a further term.
1 An ARI arrangement may be approved for more than one position.
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