The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has launched a review of more than 6,000 government-owned residential properties occupied by public officials to determine whether they continue to serve the public interest.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has ordered an investigation into the state's residential property portfolio and has requested a strategy to either sell or repurpose homes that are no longer required for official use.
The department says the review forms part of efforts to improve the management of government assets while reducing the financial burden on taxpayers.
According to Macpherson, the department spends significant amounts of money maintaining the properties, including covering rates, water, electricity and ongoing maintenance costs.
He said these expenses are difficult to justify, particularly as many public officials who occupy the homes already receive housing allowances as part of their employment benefits.
"The Department of Public Works carries the cost of maintaining these properties, including rates, water, electricity and repairs. When you add all those costs together, the financial burden becomes substantial," Macpherson said.
He added that government should reconsider the need to own and maintain thousands of residential properties when officials can instead use their housing allowances to pay rent or finance home loans.
The department says the review will help determine which properties remain necessary for official duties and which could be sold or repurposed to improve the efficiency of the state's property portfolio while generating savings for the public purse.