In November 2016 the Government signed an Agreement for Lease for 17,200 square metres of office space with Sirona Capital. This will underpin the development of more than 20,000 square metres of new office accommodation in Fremantle.
Almost 1,500 public servants are expected to relocate to Fremantle’s Kings Square in the first half of 2020, Premier Colin Barnett and Minister for Finance Sean L’Estrange announced in Fremantle’s Kings Square on 10 November.
In November 2016 the Government signed an Agreement for Lease for 17,200 square metres of office space with Sirona Capital. This will underpin the development of more than 20,000 square metres of new office accommodation in Fremantle.
Almost 1,500 public servants are expected to relocate to Fremantle’s Kings Square in the first half of 2020, Premier Colin Barnett and Minister for Finance Sean L’Estrange announced in Fremantle’s Kings Square on 10 November.
"Today the Government is continuing to fulfil a 2013 election promise to support the growth of urban office precincts," Mr Barnett said.
"With the construction of this building expected to employ 410 workers, the City of Fremantle will see economic benefits from the start of construction expected next July, and an ongoing stimulus once public servants relocate.”
"The relocation of the Government agencies to Fremantle will deliver net avoided costs of more than $53 million over 15 years," Mr L'Estrange said.
The newly constructed buildings will include:
- a contemporary information and communications technology infrastructure and an interior designed specifically to meet agency needs
- flexible fit-out which aligns with the Government’s workspace density standard of 13 square metres per workpoint and enables future agency growth with minimal changes
- maximised use of shared spaces such as meeting rooms and training areas
- end-of-trip facilities that actively encourages cycling to work and other staff physical activity
In addition, approximately 800 public servants from the Departments of Water and Environment Regulation and the Office of the Environmental Protection Authority will be relocating to Joondalup in 2018, and the headquarters of the Department of Parks and Wildlife is being constructed in Bunbury.
This follows moves by the Departments of Finance and Training and Workforce Development to Osborne Park, the Department of Transport to Innaloo, the Department of Commerce to Cannington and the Department of Fire and Emergency Services to Cockburn.
The relocation of agencies to these metropolitan activity centres supports the Government’s Directions 2031 and Beyond Initiative to strategically plan the development of Perth as a more consolidated and environmentally sustainable city.
The Department of Finance is committed to a strategic, whole-of portfolio approach to the planning and management of government office accommodation, with a focus on consolidating agencies into more efficient, larger leases, decentralising office accommodation from expensive inner city rents accommodation in the metro area that will be cheaper in the long term, co-locating government agencies in regional towns, standardising fit-outs, and enhancing environmental sustainability with large scale, efficient planning.
The program delivers cost savings to agencies from efficiencies in combining shared services, facilities management, information technology and combined public access, as well as improving inter-agency collaboration. Building fit-out also benefits from using the government’s buying power and takes advantage of economies of scale in procuring and installing furniture and equipment.
The Department of Finance’s Building Management and Works division is responsible for the management of over 560,000 square metres of government office accommodation with around 470,000 square metres of leased space and 90,000 square metres of space vested with the Minister for Works across 20 buildings.
