WA Public Sector Added 8,100 Jobs in Year to June 2026 as State Hiring Growth Halved to 2.8%
WA public sector jobs rose 8,100 to 287,500 in the year to June 2026, ABS data shows. State government hiring growth halved to 2.8%; wages rose 7.9%.
Western Australia's public sector had 287,500 employee jobs in June 2026, up 8,100 (2.9%) on a year earlier, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released on 5 November 2026. Growth in WA state government jobs slowed to 2.8%, half the 5.5% recorded in the year to June 2025, while the state government wages bill rose 7.9% to $23.5 billion.
How many public sector jobs does WA have?
WA had 287,500 public sector employee jobs in June 2026 across all three levels of government, based on the ABS state tables. State government accounted for 238,900 of those jobs, local government for 27,100 and the Commonwealth for 21,500. In June 2023 the WA total was 253,400, so the state has added about 34,100 public sector jobs in three years.
The ABS counts employee jobs, not people. A person holding two part-time public sector jobs is counted twice. The figures come from Australian Taxation Office Single Touch Payroll data matched to the ABS Business Register, not from a survey.
| Level of government in WA | June 2025 jobs | June 2026 jobs | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| State government | 232,300 | 238,900 | +6,600 (2.8%) |
| Local government | 26,500 | 27,100 | +600 (2.4%) |
| Commonwealth government | 20,600 | 21,500 | +900 (4.4%) |
| All levels | 279,400 | 287,500 | +8,100 (2.9%) |
Why did WA state government hiring slow?
The ABS release doesn't give a WA-specific reason, but the slowdown is clear in the numbers. WA state government jobs grew by 12,200 (5.5%) in the year to June 2025. The 6,600 added in the year to June 2026 is the smallest annual gain in the three years of data on the release page.
Nationally, the ABS said growth was driven by state and territory governments, which accounted for 91.6% of the annual increase in public sector jobs. Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics, said the wage bill growth "was driven by a combination of underlying wage growth and ongoing demand for health and education services within state and territory governments."
Nationally, health care and social assistance added 29,700 public sector jobs (4.4%) and education and training added 17,400 (2.3%). The ABS publishes industry data for Australia only, not by state.
How much did WA government wages grow?
WA state government cash wages and salaries rose $1.7 billion (7.9%) to $23.5 billion in 2025-26. That was faster than the 6.6% national rate for state and territory governments, and second only to South Australia's 9.5%. New South Wales recorded 7.2%, Queensland 6.7% and Victoria 4.7%.
WA local government wages rose $145 million (7.5%) to $2.1 billion. The ABS warns against dividing wages by jobs to work out an average salary, because the wages figure covers the full financial year while the jobs figure is a June snapshot.
Wage growth did slow from the previous year. WA state government wages rose 11.5% in 2024-25.
What it means for Perth job seekers
The WA public sector is still adding jobs, just more slowly. On 5 November 2026, Jobs In Perth's feed showed 758 live direct government job ads in Perth and 1,127 across WA. Of the 50 newest Perth ads, the Department of Education posted 15 and the WA Police Force 7, followed by PathWest, Water Corporation and South Metropolitan Health Service with 3 each. The median advertised salary midpoint was about $119,000, based on the 43 ads that quoted annual pay.
Health and education, the two industries the ABS named as drivers of national public sector growth, are also where WA agencies are advertising most:
- 161 live healthcare and nursing ads in Perth, led by South Metropolitan Health Service (18 of the 50 newest) and North Metropolitan Health Service (11). The median advertised midpoint was about $131,000.
- 202 live teaching and education ads in Perth, with the Department of Education posting 36 of the 50 newest. 14 of those close within seven days. The median advertised midpoint was about $108,000.
Our 4 November report on WA government vacancies has more detail on which agencies are hiring and at what pay bands.
How we reported this
- Employee job and wage figures come from the ABS release Public sector employment and earnings, 2025-26 financial year, published 5 November 2026, and its accompanying media release. WA totals and percentage changes were calculated from the ABS state and territory tables.
- The ABS quote is from its media release of the same date.
- Jobs In Perth figures are live direct-from-employer ads in our feed, observed on 5 November 2026. Recruitment agency and aggregator ads are not included. These are advertised vacancies, not people employed.
- Cover image: AI-generated illustration, not a photo of the event.
Sources
About this reporting
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