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.
UPDATED: The state government has commenced recruitment to fill vacant leadership roles at five departments while revealing the future of five current directors general.
This comes six weeks after re-elected premier Roger Cook announced a restructure of major government agencies.
Collectively the changes allow the premier and his close advisers led by chief of staff Daniel Smith to put their stamp on the state’s public service.
In a statement this afternoon, the premier announced Lanie Chopping will head up the new Department of Local Government, Commerce, Industry Regulation and Safety.
The new job provides some continuity from her current role as director general of the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, which is bring split.
The premier also announced today that Jodi Cant will leave the public service this year.
She is currently director general of the Department of Finance, which will be merged with the Treasury department on 1 July.
Ms Cant will oversee the establishment of the new Department of Housing and Works until she finishes.
The premier’s statement said she had “decided to use the reform as a suitable time to seek new opportunities”.
After enquiries by Business News, the Public Sector Commission revealed the future of three other directors general.
Rebecca Brown, who currently heads the Department of Jobs Tourism Science and innovation, will become the Director General of the Department of Energy and Economic Diversification after that agency is created on 1 July.
Similarly, Peter Woronzow will continue to run the Department of Transport until July 1, at which point he will lead the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure.
A spokesperson from the Public Sector Commission also revealed that veteran bureaucrat Richard Sellers is scheduled to retire.
He was recently appointed to lead the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, after the surprise exit of incumbent Emily Roper, who had nearly two years to run on her contract.
Mr Sellers will continue in that role until a new DG is appointed, at which point he is taking leave owed to him before retiring from the public sector.
Recruitment for the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet was advertised nationally today.
That is one of five key roles the government needs to fill.
These include the position of Under Treasurer, which is being vacated by Michael Barnes.
It was announced in November last year that Mr Barnes would finish up this month, before taking a temporary role to lead WA’s response to a Productivity Commission review of 2018’s GST reforms.
Other newly-created departments needing a director general are Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport; Housing and Works; and Mines, Petroleum and Exploration.
The recruitment process will be overseen by Public Sector Commissioner Sharyn O’Neill.
The premier said the Public Sector Commissioner was searching nationwide for people to fill the vacant roles.
“Confirming leadership of other departments in the changes taking place from 1 July allows my government to get on with the work of delivering for Western Australians,” he said.
