2025 IPAA WA Budget Briefing

How have the government assessed the year ahead? What are the key decisions they have taken that will affect the public service?

The 2025 IPAA WA Budget Briefing unpacked key insights from the 2025 WA State Budget and explored what it means for the sector, the state, and your organisation. We were delighted to host the Acting Under Treasurer, Michael Court  and CEO of the Grattan Institute, Dr Aruna Sathanapally, to deliver presentations for this year’s IPAA WA Budget Briefing.

The IPAA WA State Budget Briefing provided:

  • access to expert insight into our state’s preparedness for economic shock
  • analysis of the State budget that will give you valuable additional information and opinion to inform strategic planning
  • public service professionals across a range of professional backgrounds and responsibilities an easily understood, comprehensive understanding of the budget and its impact on the public service
  • commentary on the current and predicted economic conditions around the world that will impact Western Australia.

Michael Court’s sharp precis of the state budget, delivered in plain English, ensured participants left the session with clearer understanding of what is a dense, lengthy and highly important public policy document.

We were delighted to continue our partnership with The Grattan Institute by bringing their CEO, Aruna Sathanapally, to Perth as our guest speaker. Aruna’s perspective on global and national economic factors driving state government budgets in Australia provided participants with immediate insight to update their planning and a ready reckoner for further research.

Following both presentations, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters during an interactive Q&A.

Last but not least, we welcomed KPMG back as our sponsor and Lance Glare as MC. Lance’s public service career including his key role in Infrastructure WA ensured participants were in safe hands on the day.

Speaker Presentations

Aruna Sathanapally – CEO, The Grattan Institute: The WA Budget in context

Speakers

Speakers
MC

Michael Court
Acting Under Treasurer, Department of Treasury

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Michael Court

Michael is the Acting Under Treasurer at the Department of Treasury.

Michael has 30 years of public sector experience with a focus on economic policy and financial management issues. This includes assisting Governments in the preparation of budgets and financial reporting, advice on infrastructure policy and planning issues, Commonwealth-State financial relations, taxation and royalty policy, energy market reform, and trade policy.

Michael previously held positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Commonwealth Treasury and London Underground Ltd. He is a former Board Director of the Government Employees Superannuation Board (GESB) and Horizon Power (Regional Electricity Corporation), and is currently a member of the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Advisory Board.

Dr Aruna Sathanapally
CEO, Grattan Institute

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Aruna Sathanapally

Dr Aruna Sathanapally joined Grattan Institute as CEO in February 2024. She heads our team of leading policy thinkers, researching and advocating policy to improve the lives of Australians.

A former NSW barrister and senior public servant, Aruna has worked on the design of public institutions, economic policy, and evidence-based public policy and regulation for nearly 20 years. Before joining Grattan, Aruna worked in senior roles in the NSW Treasury. She led the 2021 NSW Intergenerational Report and led the economic analysis for the 2022 Women’s Economic Opportunities Review.

Lance Glare
Director, Infrastructure, Government and Healthcare
Client Lead Partner, WA Transport, KPMG

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Lance Glare

Lance is a Director in the Planning & Infrastructure Economics team in KPMG’s Infrastructure, Assets & Places group, and is also KPMG’s WA Government Account Director.

He has more than 20 years’ experience in planning, infrastructure, policy, regulation, strategy and economic development across Federal, State and Local Governments in Western Australia, Queensland, Canberra, Northern Territory as well as the UK.

Lance has a keen interest in public sector issues and the transformation of cities and regions through leveraging infrastructure, better land use/infrastructure integration and economic development.

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