Incoming West Australian premier Mark McGowan says he has picked a "cabinet for the times", handing heavy responsibility to some of his most trusted MPs in a 17-member ministry, following Labor's emphatic win in Saturday's election.

Ben Wyatt has been handed one of the heaviest workloads in the cabinet, taking on the treasurer's role as well as being made minister for finance, energy and aboriginal affairs.

Mr Wyatt, who is the nephew of federal Liberal MP Ken Wyatt, becomes Australia's first indigenous treasurer.

Deputy premier-elect Roger Cook takes both the health and mental health portfolios, while Alannah MacTiernan has been given responsibility for both agriculture and regional development.

The new ministers were announced as the ABC computer gave Labor the seat of Joondalup, giving it a total of 41 seats in the new parliament.

As expected, much of the ministry has been kept in the key roles they had in opposition, such as Sue Ellery (education), Michelle Roberts (police), John Quigley (Attorney-General), Dave Kelly (water), David Templeman (local government) and Rita Saffioti (transport and planning).

Mr McGowan and his new cabinet would be sworn in on Friday.

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"It is a cabinet for the times, made up of people who are serious about government, serious about creating jobs and fixing the health system," the premier-elect said.

"I've got a cabinet brimming with talent, a good array of people from the regions, from the city, men and women, people from all sorts of backgrounds."

In the changes to what had been Labor's line-up in opposition, Fran Logan has been handed responsibility for emergency and corrective services, leaving Paul Papalia with numerous portfolios - most notably tourism and racing and gaming.

Bill Johnston will be the new housing minister, while Stephen Dawson has been handed the environment portfolio.

Others in the ministry are Peter Tinley (mines and petroleum), Simone McGurk (child protection) and Mick Murray (sport and recreation).

Mr McGowan has also kept several portfolios, including jobs and trade and state development.

"I like work, I'm a workaholic," he said.

Labor announced the members of its cabinet on Wednesday, with four MPs who were part of the shadow ministry missing out on portfolios.

They are Margaret Quirk, Chris Tallentire, Peter Watson and Kate Doust.

Mr Watson will be appointed speaker, while Ms Doust will become either president or deputy president of the Upper House.

On top of the 17-member ministry, Morley MP Amber-Jade Sanderson has been appointed the parliamentary cabinet secretary - a position that did not exist under the Barnett government but has existed at times at both a state and federal level.

Mr McGowan said he would be demanding high standards from his cabinet, while again defending Mr Logan for pre-election comments in which he appeared to threaten not to give Roe 8 contractors other government business if they sought compensation for the cancellation of the project.

"He has a very decent core and I thought those two portfolios I gave him would very well suit him," the premier-elect said.

Mr McGowan also downplayed the level of union influence in the cabinet, saying it was a strong mix of people.

More than half of the new cabinet is union-affiliated.