State treasurer Eric Ripper has confirmed Western Australia's worst kept secret: that government coffers are overflowing beyond expectations with a surplus of $1.3 billion now predicted, up from the $521million estimated at budget time.

State treasurer Eric Ripper has confirmed Western Australia's worst kept secret: that government coffers are overflowing beyond expectations with a surplus of $1.3 billion now predicted, up from the $521million estimated at budget time.