Organisational structure

The Department of Finance’s vision is a high performing public sector empowered and enabled by our advice and services. This vision shapes the evolution of the Department, as we work to facilitate the efficient operation of government.

The Department of Finance reports to the Minister for Finance and Minister for Energy. The Minister for Finance was the Hon Dean Nalder MLA from 1 July 2014 to 8 December 2014. From this date, the Hon Bill Marmion MLA was appointed Minister for Finance. The Hon Dr Mike Nahan MLA was Minister for Energy in 2014-15.

The Department of Finance was established as a Department on 1 July 2011, under section 35 of the Public Sector Management Act 1994.

The Department’s Strategic Directions 2015-18 was launched to staff this year, which will guide employees in their approach to Finance’s vision. The framework challenges staff to examine what we do, why we do it and where we can add new value by building and consolidating on our core strengths, our people, businesses, relationships, and systems and processes.

Our underpinning values of Accountability, Commitment, Leadership, Listening and Caring, and People Matter continue to unite us as a Department, and form the foundation of our strategic goals.

Living these values exemplifies the trusted advice and quality services provided by the Department to government and its agencies.

Finance fulfils its purpose through:

  • Leadership and strategic advice to government on initiatives to improve the operations and management of services to the public sector.
  • Continuous improvement in the provision of efficient and effective procurement and non-residential building services to government agencies.
  • The fair and efficient administration of revenue laws and the payment of grants and subsidies to the community.
  • Influential advice and policy development for government on economic reform and utilities.

This direction enables the Department’s business units to share a common focus of delivering excellent services and advice to meet the needs of government and stakeholders.

Transfer of Fremantle Prison to the State Heritage Office

The World Heritage-listed Fremantle Prison became a branch of the State Heritage Office, under the Heritage portfolio on 1 July 2015.

Fremantle Prison has been part of the Department of Finance since it was decommissioned as an operating prison in November 1991. As custodian of the Prison, the Department has overseen the Prison’s transition to new use as one of Western Australia’s most popular tourist destinations. The Department has also established a sustainable business model for the facility, ensuring its internationally significant heritage values are conserved and enjoyed by many thousands of visitors each year.

The transfer of responsibility will not impact on the Prison’s operations as a premier tourism site nor its current staffing levels. Rather, it will benefit from the conservation and ongoing viability of this significant international heritage site. The move to the State Heritage Office will bring all World Heritage-listed sites in Western Australia into a single ministerial portfolio under the Minister for Heritage.