PUBLIC
SECTOR — SALARY BANDS
983. Hon COLIN TINCKNELL to the Leader of the House
representing the Premier:
(1) How many
members of the WA state government public sector are currently on annual
salaries of more than $200 000?
(2) How many
members of the WA state government public sector were on annual salaries of
more than $200 000 as at 30 June in the years 2016 to 2019 inclusive?
(3) How many
members of the WA state government public sector are currently on annual
salaries of more than $150 000?
(4) How many
members of the WA state government public sector were on annual salaries of
more than $150 000 as at 30 June in the years 2016 to 2019 inclusive?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
There is a difference between the
question that the honourable member just read out and the answer. In the
question he submitted, the figure he refers to of $150 000 is written as $15 000;
nevertheless, I will provide the honourable member with the information I have.
(1)–(2) The
Public Sector Commission provided the following information, which is set out
in tabular form by year, headcount of employees, headcount of the total public
sector and percentage of the total headcount and I ask that it be incorporated
into Hansard.
Leave granted.
The following material was
incorporated —
|
Year (end of June)
|
Headcount Employees
>$200,000
|
Headcount total Public sector
|
Percentage of total headcount
|
|
2016
|
2,155
|
135,770
|
1.6%
|
|
2017
|
2,350
|
140,403
|
1.7%
|
|
2018
|
2,629
|
139,812
|
1.9%
|
|
2019
|
2,665
|
142,735
|
1.9%
|
|
2020
(preliminary data)
|
2,841
|
146,562
|
1.9%
|
There is a note stating that numbers
provided may overstate the number of employees who earn more than $200 000 a year
as they may include part-time or sessional employees who earn less than $200 000
but whose equivalent annual salary would be greater than $200 000.
In June 2020, 83 per cent of the
headcount of employees with an equivalent annual salary over $200 000 were
medical practitioners, such as doctors, surgeons and specialists. They
represented 552 of the 686; that is an 80 per cent increase in headcount over
the past five years.
(3)–(4) The
Public Sector Commission provides the following information. Again, this part
of the answer is set out in tabular form. I seek leave to have the response
incorporated into Hansard.
Leave granted.
The following material was
incorporated —
|
Year (end of June)
|
Headcount Employees
150,000 - $200,000
|
Headcount total Public sector
|
Percentage of total headcount
|
|
2016
|
2,408
|
135,770
|
1.8%
|
|
2017
|
2,907
|
140,403
|
2.1%
|
|
2018
|
2,736
|
139,812
|
2.0%
|
|
2019
|
3,240
|
142,735
|
2.3%
|
|
2020
(preliminary data)
|
3,180
|
146,562
|
2.2%
|
There
is a note stating that the numbers provided may overstate the number of employees
who earn between $150 000 a year and $200 000 a year as they may include
part-time or sessional employees who earn less than $150 000, but whose
equivalent annual salary would be greater than $150 000.
In June 2020, 67 per cent of the
headcount of employees with an equivalent annual salary over $150 000 were
medical practitioners, such as doctors, surgeons and specialists; allied health
professionals, such as dentists and radiologists; and educators, such as school
principals.
Medical practitioners represented
616, or 42 per cent; allied health professionals represented 122, or eight per cent;
and educators represented 330, or 23 per cent, of the combined 1 458 increase
in headcount over the last five years.