Western Australia will draw inspiration from over the border as it seeks to scale up defence industry in the state, with a move to legislate its first standalone statutory body for the sector.
The state opposition has criticised the number of employees in the office of Premier Roger Cook, accusing the government of splashing out on staff and questioning its operating costs.
The state government has appointed interstate recruits to run four of its key departments in what amounts to a dramatic shake-up of public sector leadership in Western Australia.
Our weekly appointments wrap includes Lanie Chopping, Rebecca Brown, Peter Woronzow, Richard Sellers, Prudence Griffin, Jessie Liu-Ernsting, Shannon Robinson, Rhys Waldon, Mark Pivac, Brett Smith, Michael Skead, Jackson Allen and Jackie Donald.
UPDATED: The state government has named three directors general who will head up new departments and revealed two other DGs including Richard Sellers are set to retire while five key roles remain unfilled.
ANALYSIS: When Mark McGowan launched the $750 million Resources Community Investment Initiative more than 18 months ago, nobody expected an upgrade of Paraburdoo hospital would be its inaugural project.
The state government is trialling a 12-month pilot that will require suppliers to provide their gender equality credentials as part of the procurement process.
Perth company Pit Crew Consulting has accused the state government of inappropriately using its in-depth labour market forecasting report and failing to pay for the material.
The security of more than 30 government entity IT systems remains at "considerable risk" despite warnings last year, according to WA's auditor-general.
The state government has confirmed Emily Roper as Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, nearly two years after the last permanent head resigned.
Dozens of consultants were engaged across WA's public sector in the first half of this year, with Infrastructure WA spending nearly $1 million on external advisers.
Peter Woronzow has been formally appointed director general of the Department of Transport, one of five DG roles the state government has needed to fill.
The state government has announced four senior public service appointments but needs to recruit five new directors general, including at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.
The second McGowan government is set for big changes, with two of the premier's three closest advisers resigning and minister Peter Tinley believed to have been demoted.
Department of the Premier and Cabinet director general, Darren Foster, is stepping down immediately, with senior bureaucrats Rebecca Brown and Sharyn O'Neill stepping into the breach.
The head of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet has been accused of an “extremely serious intentional breach of parliamentary privilege” by a parliamentary committee chaired by Labor's Kate Doust for his actions during a Corruption and Crime Commission investigation.
The state government has appointed 10 members to the board of its peak infrastructure advisory body, including six directors from the private sector led by chairman John Langoulant.
The Barnett government's ambitious GovNext ICT program was based on flawed assumptions and will not achieve the anticipated savings but still holds potential to deliver significant benefits, a review has found.
Darren Foster has been formally confirmed as director general of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, making him arguably the state's most powerful public servant, in a move forshadowed by Business News in March.
Senior public servants Stephen Wood, David Smith and Darren Foster are among the main winners from the state government's plan to create 11 larger departments.
A former chief of staff to Premier Mark McGowan has been seconded to a senior role in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, triggering speculation he may become the next director general, putting him at the centre of government power.
Department of Transport director-general Reece Waldock is set to retire in July.Mr Waldock was appointed the inaugural chief executive of the Public Transport Authority of WA in 2003.
Premier Colin Barnett will be looking for a new chief of staff now that Brian Pontifex has been appointed as Australia's next ambassador and permanent representative to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris.
The Department of Finance and the Department of Commerce are among those cutting wage costs hardest as the state government reacts to reduced revenue, according to the latest BNiQ research.
The Liberal Party is gearing up to relocate its Western Australian headquarters, after purchasing a strata office at 12 Parliament Place for an undisclosed sum.
After two weeks of controversy over Transport Minister Dean Nalder's “perceived” conflicts of interest, a government report released today made it clear why Premier Colin Barnett stripped Mr Nalder of the finance ministry.
The Barnett government would raise nearly $6 billion by selling the state's three major ports, if the Western Australian sales attracted the same surprisingly high bidding interest as recent port sales on the east coast.
'Heroics' needed on major projects – The Aus; 'Red Herrings' irritate judge – The West; Taxes 40pc of new home cost – The West; Prospector's case prompts change to law - The Fin; Wireless networks rise as threat to NBN - The Aus
