PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

In reply to Mr GRIFFITHS (Goyder) (25 June 2009).

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management): The Treasurer has provided the following information:

The figures quoted by the Member relate to the estimated FTEs at 30 June 2009 printed in Table 2.16 of the 2008-09 (81,841) and 2009-10 (83,326) Budget Papers, which are based on FTE caps for the general government sector and agency estimates for the Public Non-Financial Corporations and Public Financial Corporations sectors.

The FTE caps for the general government sector, which are administered by the Department of Treasury and Finance, are consistent with the level of salaries and wages budgets for each agency and are adjusted in line with changes to agency budgets.

As the caps are focused on monitoring and managing estimated agency employee expenses for the current and future years at the macro level, they do not estimate or record detailed FTE information such as employee classification or level. Consequently, the level of detail you seek is not available from the DTF FTE cap data.

Based on the DTF FTE cap data, the following information can be provided to explain the major variations in the following portfolios:

Health +814 FTEs

Justice +247 FTEs

Environment and Conservation and the River Murray +97 FTEs

Education -171 FTEs

SA Water +72 FTEs

South Australian Housing Trust +46 FTEs

TransAdelaide +42 FTEs.