The state government has announced it is expanding its office consolidation plan to the regions, with Mandurah, Busselton and Northam the first locales outside the metropolitan area to be included in the cost-savings initiative.
Finance Minister Simon O’Brien said the plan aimed to co-locate regional government agencies into fewer buildings.
“The plan is designed to improve public access to Government services; promote inter-agency co-operation; and provide higher standards of office accommodation to attract and retain public servants in regional areas,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Co-location will enable departments to share office infrastructure such as printers, IT, and communications systems.”
The state government launched its office consolidation initiative in 2010, when 5,000 pulbic servants from 18 locations and 23 agencis were shifted into co-ordinated new digs in Perth, West Perth, East Perth and Osborne Park.
Mr O’Brien also announced last month that staff would move from approximately 80,000 square metres of office space in the CBD to Murdoch, Stirling and Fremantle.
The government said its preliminary analysis had put the annual cost saving at $18 million by 2012-13, aiming for a $20 million to $25 million saving by 2015.
