On Monday, 29 May 2023 at 12:45, Premier Mark McGowan held a press conference to announce that he would be stepping down as Premier, leader of the WA Labor Party and the Member for Rockingham, at the end of the week.
As such, the Premier will also relinquish his roles as Treasurer, the Minister for Public Sector Management, and Federal-State Relations.
In his speech, the Premier thanked WA public sector workers:
"To the WA public sector, its workers and leaders, thank you. The global pandemic that was COVID-19 forced us to change how we would normally govern.
The dedicated efforts of leaders in the WA public sector played a significant role in WA's world-leading response and management. So thank you very much."
As McGowan steps down from the leadership of the state, we acknowledge achievements of significance to working Western Australians including new Workplace Health and Safety laws; the return of privatised services into public hands; and a response to COVID-19 that prioritised the health and well-being of Western Australians. For these, we offer our thanks.
Challenges remain for the WA public sector. Under-resourcing is impacting the delivery of essential public services and the struggle for real public sector wage growth continues.
In the coming days and weeks, your union will closely monitor developments regarding the State's leadership and the implications for the WA Public Sector.
We look forward to working with the next Premier of Western Australia to support and prioritise WA public services and the people who deliver them.
