Information about how we collect, analyse and publish Western Australian Public Sector workforce data.
Workforce data collection
Show moreThe Public Sector Commission collects and reports workforce data from public sector agencies. At the end of each quarter, agencies provide workforce data on each employee via the Human Resource Minimum Obligatory Information Requirement (HR MOIR).
Participating agencies include departments, SES organisations and non-SES organisations.
The data includes demographic information about employees such as age, gender, diversity status and occupation.
The data is collected to establish the current sector workforce profile, provide comparative analysis of workforce trends to agencies and support the collation of sectorwide information to support evidence-based policy formation.
Point in time public sector FTE levels are published in the Western Australian Public Sector Workforce Reports.
The State of the WA Government Sector Workforce report and statistical bulletin provide an overview and analysis of workforce trends, including key HR MOIR workforce statistics at agency and sector levels.
2025 annual collection
Show moreThis collection gathers information on the activities that government sector authorities have undertaken relating to diversity, integrity and conduct matters between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.
Participating entities include public sector agencies, local governments, public universities, government trading enterprises and other authorities, as well as government boards and committees.
The information collected assists to fulfil annual reporting obligations of the Public Sector Commissioner (Commissioner) under the Public Sector Management Act 1994, Public Interest Disclosure Act 2003 (PID Act) and the Corruption, Crime and Misconduct Act 2003, and the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment (Director) under the Equal Opportunity Act 1984 (EO Act).
Responses also assist principal executive officers to meet their obligation to report annually to the Commissioner under section 23 of the PID Act, and for authorities to report annually to the Director under Part IX of the EO Act.
Government boards and committees receive a customised version of the collection, relating to integrity and conduct reporting, that must be responded to by the board or committee. In some cases, questions related to public interest disclosures and misconduct may be reported by an associated entity (e.g. a department). Where this occurs, the board or committee should indicate this in its response.
Aggregated data is reported in the State of the WA Government Sector Workforce report, statistical bulletin and the DEOPE report .
The collection will open in March 2025.
Guidance notes for authorities responding to the collection are now available below. A workforce data spreadsheet for local governments, public universities and government trading enterprises to upload workforce data will be made available below prior to the collection. (Public sector entities that provide HR MOIR reporting do not need to complete the workforce data spreadsheet.)
For queries email collections@psc.wa.gov.au.
2025 client perception survey
Show moreThe Commission conducts the client perception survey to measure how core clients perceive the Commission’s performance in:
- enhancing integrity
- enhancing effectiveness and efficiency
- enhancing diversity and inclusion.
The results are used to report on the Commission’s key performance indicators.
The survey will be open in February 2025.
Key data definitions
Show more| Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people | People who identify as being of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent. |
|---|---|
| Culturally and linguistically diverse people | People who were born in countries other than those categorised by the Australian Bureau of Statistics as mainly English speaking - Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Wales. |
| People with disability | People who identify as having a mild or moderate core activity limitation. |
| Youth | Individuals aged 24 and under, in accordance with Australian Bureau of Statistics definitions. |
| People of diverse sexualities and genders | People of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics. |
| Full-time equivalent (FTE) |
Full-time equivalent (FTE) refers to the proportion of hours worked in a given period as a proportion of the full time hours prescribed in the relevant industrial instrument. For example, if an industrial instrument prescribes full-time as 40 hours per week:
Aggregate FTE reporting is based on a snapshot of employees who were paid in the last pay period. FTE for casual employees is based on the hours paid in the last pay period. FTE calculations do not include any time that is not ordinary time paid, such as overtime and flex-time. This methodology may differ from those used by public sector agencies in their own operational workforce management process. |
| Headcount |
Each employee is counted as a single headcount, even if the employee holds multiple positions. Aggregate headcount figures are based on a snapshot of employees as at the last pay period of the quarter, and includes all permanent and fixed term employees, and casual employees paid during that pay period. |
| General government expenses | Refers to the ‘general government sector’ as defined by the Department of Treasury which differs slightly from the ‘public sector’ as defined by the Public Sector Commission. See the Treasury website for further information on determination of expenditure data. |
| Management tier |
Management tier refers to employees in the top three tiers of an organisation. It is related to management and decision-making responsibilities rather than salary.
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Explanatory notes
Show moreCalculations
| Response rate |
Response rates are the proportion of people who have responded to questions about whether they identify as belonging to a diverse group. The response rate is calculated based on the number of respondents to the questionnaire divided by the total headcount of employees in an authority or sector. Data are based on responses to diversity questionnaires provided to employees as part of their on-boarding or induction package, or as updated throughout their tenure in their organisation. It is not compulsory for employees to share their diversity status. This method does not assume diversity, nor does it assume that, because an employee does not share their diverse information, they are not diverse. Response rates are used in reporting information on the representation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, people with disability and culturally and linguistically diverse people. |
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| Rounding | Total numbers and percentages are consistent with information reported to the Commission. Some tables may have items that do not add up to the total due to rounding. |
Use of data
Show moreThere is no objection to this data being copied in whole or part, provided there is due acknowledgement of any material quoted or reproduced and that any caveats and limitations identified by the Public Sector Commission are acknowledged.
The Western Australian Government is committed to quality service to its customers and makes every attempt to ensure accuracy, currency and reliability of the information contained on the Public Sector Commission’s website or in its publications. However, changes in circumstances over time may impact on the veracity of this information.
