Public sector blow out

Opposition leader Eric Ripper has criticised the Barnett government for a blow out in public sector workforce numbers.

Premier Colin Barnett conceded in a budget estimates hearing that the public sector cap had blown out to nearly 114,000.

"Within six months of taking office, the Liberal-National Government announced an across government ceiling of 99,155 full time equivalent staff,' Mr Ripper said.

"Fifteen months later that ceiling bench mark had changed to 102,911 FTE," he said.

Mr Ripper said the Barnett Government had promised to reduce the growth of the public sector but had been forced to admit there are now 114,000 FTEs.

"No wonder that spending growth in Mr Barnett's government reached record levels of 13.5 per cent in 2009 and 12.3 per cent this year," said Mr Ripper.

Mr Ripper said the Premier will need to do more than just change the definition of 'public sector cap' and 'committee' if he intends to keep government spending at 3.9 per cent over the next 12 months.