WA creates Office of Early Childhood as part of Machinery of Government changes

Western Australia has created an Office of Early Childhood as part of Machinery of Government (MoG) changes impacting nine Departments of State.

The MoGs will create one new Department, change nine, and leave 16 undisturbed, starting from 1 July with a completion date of December 30. 

The newly created Office of Early Childhood will sit within the Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) which will also house a newly created Office of Defence Industries and the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio. 

The Office of Early Childhood will focus on long-term productivity by getting Western Australian children off to a great start in life.

The most significant development for the state’s public service in the short term is the merging of the state’s Treasury and Department of Finance. This mega-department will take charge of all WA’s revenue, expenditure, and procurement functions.

The targeted reforms, the Premier said, are intended to drive economic resilience in uncertain global times and to create centres of building excellence within the public sector.

With the goal of maintaining Western Australia as the strongest economy in the nation, the reforms will boost economic resilience to ensure Western Australia continues to generate high-quality jobs in globally uncertain times, he added.

“Today’s reforms are about creating a Team WA approach at all levels of government, so that we can relentlessly pursue the priorities of the WA community – creating jobs, building capacity in our hospitals and building more houses,” Premier Cook said.

“These reforms will ensure we continue to create jobs in globally uncertain times, by backing our resources sector, diversifying our economy for the future and making more things here.”

“My government values the public sector and each and every worker it employs. We will work closely with the public sector leadership and unions as we implement these reforms over the course of this year.”

For a comprehensive list of changes made please view the Premier’s media release, here.