News Articles

Defence 07 Oct 2025

Spin-out plan for Defence West

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.

Government 03 Jul 2025

Zempilas hits out at Cook office staffing

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.

Clockwise from left: Leon McIvor, Michael Carey, Joann Wilkie, Chad Anderson, and Chris Shaw.

Government 10 Jun 2025

Interstate recruits to lead public sector

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, and Michael Skead.

Appointments 25 Apr 2025

Appointments April 25, 2025

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.

Lanie Chopping will head up the new Department of Local Government, Commerce, Industry Regulation and Safety

Government 17 Apr 2025

Chopping gets new job as Cant retires

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.

Mining 10 Jul 2024

A small start for a grand scheme

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.

Government 30 Mar 2023

Building Bonus for some, $1.1bn heartbreaker for others

As part of an ongoing series, Business News asks whether negative consequences from a 2020 sugar hit for housing should have been foreseen.

Opinion 01 Dec 2022

Labor facing integrity test

The heat's on Labor over members' use of taxpayers' funds.

Government 19 Oct 2022

New powers for auditor general

Cabinet documents will soon be available to the state's auditor general as part of a suite of proposed reforms to the oversight body.

Government 30 Jun 2022

Gender equality procurement pilot launches

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.

Professions 03 May 2022

Pit Crew says govt breached copyright

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.

Government 31 Mar 2022

"Poor controls" over government IT and cybersecurity

The security of more than 30 government entity IT systems remains at "considerable risk" despite warnings last year, according to WA's auditor-general.

Government 15 Dec 2021

Roper to lead Premier & Cabinet

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.

Government 24 Nov 2021

Advisers earn $5.7m from public sector

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.

Government 17 Nov 2021

Woronzow confirmed as Transport boss

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.

Government 13 May 2021

Gaps aplenty at public service

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.

Government 11 May 2021

Who’s onboard with political ties?

What are the qualifications that make an individual suited to sit on a government board?

Government 15 Mar 2021

Key ministers, staffers depart

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.

Technology, Innovation & Science 29 Sep 2020

$2m for cyber security

The state government has signalled it will develop a new cybersecurity operations centre to improve the detection of, and response to, cyber threats.

Government 23 Mar 2020

WA’s top bureaucrat steps down

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.

Government 14 Aug 2019

Key McGowan adviser in fight over CCC inquiry

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.

Government 29 Jul 2019

Infrastructure WA board selected

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.

Technology, Innovation & Science 30 Aug 2018

GovNext will not deliver planned savings

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.

Government 19 Jul 2017

Foster to head Premier's department

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.

Government 01 May 2017

New department heads named

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.

Government 27 Mar 2017

Influence radiates from centre of power

SPECIAL REPORT: A small group of ministers and backroom advisers close to Mark McGowan will set the agenda for the new state government.

Government 22 Mar 2017

Foster moves into Premier & Cabinet

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.

Appointments 03 May 2016

Four public sector resignations

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.

Government 01 Apr 2015

Pontifex appointed OECD ambassador

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.

Government 30 Jan 2015

Belt tightening squeezes finance, commerce

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.

Government 08 Jan 2015

Liberals buy office to shift state HQ

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.

Government 11 Dec 2014

Amcom link sank Nalder

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.

Opinion 05 Dec 2014

Barnett in for the long haul

The government has thrown out an early marker for the 2017 state election.

Special Reports 03 Jun 2014

State transitions, influence shifts

SPECIAL REPORT: Power and influence in WA is adjusting to a new order after the boom.

Government 03 Jun 2014

The balance of power

SPECIAL REPORT: Global economic forces, a national election and state political exits have shaped the 2014 Most Influential list.

Government 06 May 2014

Privatisation lure gets more attractive

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.

Opinion 13 Aug 2013

Failure of governance on solar

One of the great advantages of being in a federation is that states can learn from each other, cherry picking good ideas and avoiding disasters.

Government 13 Jun 2013

Barnett, Buswell to cut 1000 govt jobs

Up to 1,000 jobs are on the chopping block as the state government seeks to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of the public sector.

Opinion 06 May 2013

Crucial pre-election budget

The last thing we need ahead of the federal election is the major parties promising to outspend one another, but that's probably what we'll get

28 Mar 2013

Today's Newspapers

'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

News Articles for Department of the Premier and Cabinet

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