CHIEF Minister Katy Gallagher today announced plans to merge the Treasury and Chief Minister and Cabinet directorates to create a new directorate.

Gallagher says the merger of the two departments are part of new Administrative Arrangements for the ACT Public Service that have come into effect following the allocation of ministerial responsibilities.

The new directorate, Commerce and Works, will combine elements of the ACTPS including Shared Services, capital works, the ACT Revenue Office and ACT Insurance Authority.

It will be headed by Megan Smithies and report to the Treasurer.

It is unclear whether the changes will involve job losses.

“The expanded Chief Minister and Cabinet Directorate will provide increased focus to policy advice, enhance the ACTPS strategic policy capacity, and continue to foster the collaborative and efficient delivery of the Government’s priorities,” Gallagher says.

“These arrangements were foreshadowed in Governing the City State and it is timely to put this in place at the beginning of the new term of Government.

“The new Directorate will drive substantial improvements to the efficient and effective delivery of capital works projects, as well as delivery of back of house ICT, procurement and administrative functions.”