Our Work
We are the central department managing Western Australia’s public sector finances and formulating and implementing the annual State Budget. We develop economic and revenue forecasts, and monitor developments in the State’s economy, major revenue bases and public sector finances, to ensure Western Australia remains on track against the State Government’s budgetary objectives and policies.
Our policy advisory role covers a wide range of issues, including Commonwealth-State financial relations, revenue policy, public sector wages policy, public sector superannuation policy, and advice on alternative models of service delivery and infrastructure provision.
We collect revenue to fund Government services and administer payment of grants and subsidies to the WA community.
View our functional organisation chart.
Office of the Deputy Under Treasurer
The Office of the Deputy Under Treasurer business unit has responsibility for whole of DTF perspectives and whole-of-Government initiatives.
- State Finances provide advice on whole of government financial management and reporting. They focus on consolidating agency financial information for presentation in whole of government statutory reporting publications, including the Budget Papers, Quarterly Financial Results, Annual Report on State Finances and the Mid-year Review. The team also provides policy advice on issues such as debt management, financial targets, and corrective measures.
- The Infrastructure Strategy and Policy Directorate is the custodian of the formulation and monitoring framework for the Asset Investment Program (AIP). This includes leading and coordinating whole of government budgeting, reporting, advice, and planning in regard to the State’s AIP, including oversight and continued enhancement of the Strategic Asset Management Framework and close liaison with the Department of Finance, Department of the Premier and Cabinet, and Infrastructure WA.
- The Budget Coordination and Transport Directorate is made up of two teams. Budget Coordination manages the decision making and publication of documentation as part of the annual Budget and Mid-year Review processes. The Transport team collaborates and works with the transport portfolio of agencies and offices (Department of Transport, Main Roads, Public Transport Authority, METRONET and Westport Offices) to provide solutions-focused advice to Treasury Executive and Government.
- The role of the Financial Policy and Operations (FPO) Directorate is to manage, administer and provide advice on DTF operations at a whole-of-government level, provide advice in relation to the development, review, interpretation and application of the State’s financial management and accountability framework which includes the Financial Management Act 2006 and the enabling legislation of statutory authorities, provide advice to the Treasurer on superannuation, including regulatory oversight of GESB. FPO also plays a lead role in DTF’s functional area leadership in financial management across the sector.
- The role of the Assurance and Risk function is to identify and assess strategic and operational risks through evaluation of operational procedures, risk assessment, control functions, and governance processes. The Internal Assurance function provides independent advice to the Under Treasurer and supports the Audit and Risk Committee operations.
State Finances, Strategic Asset Management Framework, Financial Administration Bookcase, Financial policy publications and agency advice, Public Bank Account Investments, Superannuation, Unclaimed money, Transactional Banking and Merchant Services TREAS21009
Advisory Services
Advisory Services works on key projects such as the Westport commercial framework and the Women and Babies Hospital, as well as leading DTF’s involvement in the Market-led Proposals process. The business unit also supports other parts of DTF through the Data Science and Special Projects team – providing assistance on other whole-of-government projects, as well as through oversight of the Corporate Services team.
- The Corporate Strategy and Performance Directorate’s role is to work in partnership with business areas to drive solutions and initiatives. This includes building the capability, performance and sustainability of DTF through the delivery of effective corporate services that cover: Strategic ICT, Workforce Management, Talent Programs, Organisational Development and Financial Services.
- The Commercial Advisory Directorate’s role is to provide advice and project oversight on major Government commercial transactions and contracts with the private sector, with a particular focus on commercial, financial and risk aspects.
- The Data Science Unit leverages analytical techniques to model, project, validate, and evaluate a range of issues with direct impact on the State Budget. This involves managing Cost and Demand Models of a variety of agencies, assisting with other models across DTF, assessing recurrent and capital budget submissions and policy proposals, stewarding and accessing whole of government data linkage, and advising on evaluations.
- The Special Projects Unit manages a set of time limited and whole-of-government/ cross agency projects. Currently this involves work on funding and commission reforms in the WA Health system, the Digital Capability Fund, and the public sector workforce Temporary Regional Incentive initiative. The team also provides ad hoc advice on other projects or topics as directed by DTF Executive.
Economic
Economic assists the Government of the day through expert economic and financial policy advice that promotes the public interest. This includes advice on economic conditions and forecasts, tax and royalty changes, the distribution of GST grants, best practice regulation, wages policy, and microeconomic reforms.
- The Economic and Revenue Forecasting team prepares economic and revenue forecasts as input to government financial projections statements through using best practice modelling and forecasting tools. The team also provides regular reports on key economic data as they are released.
- The Economic Policy team advances economic policies and economic reforms, drives better regulation across the State’s public sector, advises the government on wages policy for government employees and undertakes economic modelling and in-depth economic impact analysis.
- Economic Diversification collaborate with the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation to progress the Government’s economic diversification agenda.
- The Revenue and Intergovernmental Relations team provides analysis and advice on State taxes, mineral royalties and intergovernmental financial and Commonwealth relations. The area also provides forecasting and monitoring of GST revenue and advice on the reform of the GST distribution.
WA economic data, Economic research papers, Forecasts, Economic Policy, Regulatory Impact Assessment, Wages policy, Competitive neutrality policy, State taxes, Submissions, Rail Access Review
Agency Budgeting and Governance
Agency Budgeting and Governance work closely with many government agencies, providing evidence-based analysis and advice on service delivery to inform Government decision making. The team also provides oversight, governance and financial support to the State’s Government Trading Enterprises (GTEs).
- Agency Policy and Budget Analysis (APBA) has significant involvement in Budget, mid-year review and other DTF processes including the preparation of material for inclusion in Budget Paper No. 3. APBA also contributes to budget outcomes through the provision of policy, financial and budget analysis advice, building and maintaining effective relationships with agencies, and the co-ordination of the Royalties for Regions program.
- Governance and Enterprise Resourcing (GER) –The role of GER is to provide financial advice to GTEs and general government agencies through monitoring and advising on Budget, Cabinet and Parliamentary related matters, advising on and influencing major projects and policy relating to the markets in which the agencies operate, and providing advice and support for the consideration of assets for sale/alternative funding. GER also provide policy advice on the Government’s Energy Transformation Strategy and the budget, performance and major transactions of the electricity corporations to the Treasurer and the Minister for Energy through Energy Policy WA.
- Utilities, Ports and Climate (UPC) – UPC represents DTF in its interactions with GTEs at the strategic level, provides oversight of GTE performance against strategic objectives, and whole of government objectives and policies, and provides advice and support to Portfolio Ministers who are accountable for GTEs – including the assessment of major initiatives and material transactions in consultation with relevant policy agencies and their DTF Budget Analyst.
Strategic Policy and Evaluation
Strategic Policy and Evaluation is a highly collaborative team working closely with health, mental health, education and training, communities, and law and order agencies/sectors to achieve value for money outcomes through financial and social policy advice. The business unit comprises three key Performance and Evaluation Groups (PEG):
- PEG 1: Health; Mental Health
- PEG 2: Social Services; Aboriginal Affairs Coordination Unit
- PEG 3: Justice; Education and Training
The PEG teams collaborate and work in partnership with key service delivery agencies to provide solutions-focused advice to DTF Executive and Government. This includes financial analysis to support investment decisions, policy advice on key strategic issues, and analysis and evaluation of risks and identification of mitigation strategies to support effective and value for money outcomes for the State. The teams also provide financial resource management oversight of agencies, including significant input and analysis into the development of the State Budget.
Core business activities include:
- building workforce capability – specifically in areas such as quantitative skills, data visualisation, cultural diversity and best practice evaluation
- policy development, evaluation and advice
- advice to Government for the development of State Budget
- stakeholder engagement and risk management across key service delivery sectors
- leading Government reform priorities.
Program evaluation, Social Investment Data Resource
RevenueWA
RevenueWA collects revenue on behalf of the Government and pays grants and subsidies to Western Australians. Although a business unit within DTF, the Commissioner of State Revenue is an independent statutory role and is personally responsible for the administration of State taxation and grant laws by RevenueWA staff. This administrative function covers the application of duties, land tax and payroll tax laws, as well as carrying out compliance audits and investigations, and developing revenue related legislation. RevenueWA increases taxpayer awareness through education programs and manages objections and appeals to taxation assessments and decisions.
- Operations Group 1 administers land tax and other annual land-based taxes, administers grant and subsidy schemes including the first home owner grant, performs revenue debt recovery, and maintains and develops RevenueWA’s bespoke revenue systems.
- Operations Group 2 administers duties, royalties, payroll tax and other self-assessed revenue lines, provides support to customers who use RevenueWA's self-assessment services or attend RevenueWA's public counter, and provides technical advice to other RevenueWA staff on complex revenue matters.
- Compliance performs investigations and audits across all revenue lines to ensure taxpayers and grant recipients comply with their legal obligations, and performs intelligence gathering and data analysis to identify potential non-compliance and to support RevenueWA staff in their decision making.
- Legislation and Review drafts legislative amendments to deliver government revenue policy or improve revenue administration, manages RevenueWA publications and internal technical knowledge, and facilitates internal and judicial review of decisions and determinations by RevenueWA staff.
Procurement Policy and Strategy
Procurement Policy and Strategy is responsible for a whole of government approach to procurement policy including administration of the Procurement Act 2020, procurement systems and intelligence as well as whole of government common use arrangements and assurance functions that efficiently meets the business needs of government agencies, manages risks and delivers value for money.
- Government Policy and Strategy is the functional lead for goods and services procurement, including community services, which involves developing, managing and reviewing whole of government procurement policy. Responsible for the administration of the Procurement Act 2020 which includes goods, services and works. Leads the Social Procurement function to increase government supplier diversity and provide greater contracting opportunities to marginalised groups, focusing on Aboriginal businesses and Western Australian Disability Enterprises (WADEs).
- Procurement Frameworks leads whole of government strategic procurement, developing and managing Common Use Arrangements (CUAs) for the most commonly purchased goods and services statewide. CUAs are pre-negotiated frameworks that streamline procurement by enabling efficient purchasing, mitigating risks, ensuring compliance, and leveraging whole of government buying power to deliver significant savings. The CUA team provides specialist procurement advice to agencies across a wide range of industries and markets to ensure WA Government gets the best value for money.
- Procurement Assurance, Systems and Reporting coordinates Gateway reviews on large infrastructure and ICT projects, leads the Debarment Regime and conducts audits and investigations of State agencies under the Procurement Act 2020 to assist government agencies to improve their procurement practices, provides whole of government procurement reporting and intelligence as well as support and maintenance of sector wide procurement systems.
- Enhance Public Sector Procurement is responsible for the leadership, development and implementation of procurement related reform programs to ensure the Government remains contemporary in addressing public sector and industry needs.