Question On Notice No. 174 asked in the Legislative Council on 17 June 2021 by Hon Dr Steve Thomas
Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the McGowan Government's Machinery of Government changes announced in April 2017 and implemented in the revamped Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development from 1 July 2017, and I ask:
(a) what has been the cost to the Department of the changes by financial year from 2017-2018 to date;
(b) what is the quantum of savings registered by the Department by financial year from 2017-2018 to date as a result of the changes;
(c) what reduction of senior executive service level staff occurred in the Department as a result of the changes; and
(d) what additional costs and savings have been budgeted for in the future as a result of the changes?
Answered on 12 August 2021
(a) Separation costs under the Voluntary Targeted Separation Scheme were detailed in a feature box on pages 13-14 of the 2017-18 Annual Report on State Finances. For Senior Executive Service (SES) separations, costs incurred totalled $1.1 million.
All other costs directly related to the Machinery of Government changes have been absorbed within the Department’s budget, are not separately identifiable, and did not result in any additional request for appropriation funding.
The Department has reallocated approved funding to upgrade and integrate ageing human resource, finance and record management systems and the digital foundations of the former agencies. This was necessary regardless of the Machinery of Government.
(b) Gross savings written into the Department’s budget total $52.3 million to 30 June 2021.
(c) The Department’s SES numbers were reduced by four.
(d) Implementation of Machinery of Government changes were dealt with in 2017-18. Accordingly, there are no ongoing costs. Future annual savings now form part of the agency’s base budget and are not separately forecast on an ongoing basis.