❓ Ms Davies raises concerns about worker accommodation shortages in regional WA due to tourism boom. Minister Papalia acknowledges the issue, attributing it to the success of the 'Wander out Yonder' campaign and the departure of working holiday-makers, while highlighting efforts to attract more workers.
AnsweredQoN 965Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WORKER ACCOMMODATION — REGIONS
965. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the dire shortage of
worker accommodation across towns in regional WA, which mainly rely on tourism
as their economic driver. Given the minister publicly confirmed in The
Albany Advertiser last Tuesday that there is a shortage of worker
accommodation in every regional centre that he has visited, what has the
minister and his government done to urgently address this issue?
965. Ms M.J. DAVIES to the Minister for Tourism:
I refer to the dire shortage of
worker accommodation across towns in regional WA, which mainly rely on tourism
as their economic driver. Given the minister publicly confirmed in The
Albany Advertiser last Tuesday that there is a shortage of worker
accommodation in every regional centre that he has visited, what has the
minister and his government done to urgently address this issue?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for her confirmation that the ''Wander out Yonder''
campaign has worked far more than anyone could possibly have hoped for. That is
the most successful regional tourism campaign in the history of this state.
When small businesses across Australia, outside of our state, are struggling
under the burden of lack of demand and lack of confidence in the community, and
when those businesses are wondering what they are going to do when JobKeeper
ends and a cliff approaches, the businesses in Western Australia are confronted
with the challenge of having to get more workers to meet the demand. That is a challenge
that I would prefer to have. I have travelled the regions since we lifted the
restrictions. I have been right across this state, conducting roundtables with
tourism businesses in every single region of the state, and including in the
member's seat. I met with people in York and Northam, who told me their
numbers were undreamed of. It is inconceivable that they would be confronting
the challenge of how to meet the demand and how to accommodate it. That is a challenge.
Part of it is directly attributable to the fact that, rightly—it is an
instruction that I applaud and agree with—the Prime Minister told working
holiday-makers to go home at the start of the pandemic. He told them to go home
and many did. That is what has caused a significant challenge with respect to
workers in the regions. Working holiday-makers, colloquially termed
backpackers, are a big part of our tourism sector, but they are also a big part
of the workforce for the tourism sector and the regional workforce. They often
do hospitality work and jobs like cleaning in hotels and other accommodation,
they work behind bars and as baristas—they do all those sorts of jobs.
They frequently do it at the peak of the season. They save up, live on the
smell of an oily rag and then splurge in the market, so that is all a good part
of the sector. But the truth is that tens of thousands of those people were
sent home and they went. That is a workforce that we no longer have. Beyond
that, there are demands in every sector, in not only accommodation or
hospitality but also resources and manufacturing. I know that in the defence
issues portfolio, we have done such a good job of supporting the industry in Western
Australia that there is lots of opportunity in that sector. Every sector is
seeking skilled labourers and unskilled labourers so that they can train
people. It is a competitive market.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Sit him
down!
Mr P. PAPALIA : I am sorry
for answering the question, Mr Speaker. Apparently, the opposition does not
want me to answer its question. It would prefer that I ignore the question the
member has asked. But the truth is we have launched the Work and Wander Out
Yonder campaign.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr P. PAPALIA : That has been
very successful, has had thousands of responses and has demonstrated interest
to attract people from the metropolitan area. But, ultimately, in Western Australia,
we confront the challenge of getting more workers for more jobs —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, there
is only one person I want to hear.
Mr P. PAPALIA : — because
there is lots of opportunity in WA. I would rather have that problem than the
one people are confronting in South Australia right now.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Tell us all
again!
thank the member for her confirmation that the ''Wander out Yonder''
campaign has worked far more than anyone could possibly have hoped for. That is
the most successful regional tourism campaign in the history of this state.
When small businesses across Australia, outside of our state, are struggling
under the burden of lack of demand and lack of confidence in the community, and
when those businesses are wondering what they are going to do when JobKeeper
ends and a cliff approaches, the businesses in Western Australia are confronted
with the challenge of having to get more workers to meet the demand. That is a challenge
that I would prefer to have. I have travelled the regions since we lifted the
restrictions. I have been right across this state, conducting roundtables with
tourism businesses in every single region of the state, and including in the
member's seat. I met with people in York and Northam, who told me their
numbers were undreamed of. It is inconceivable that they would be confronting
the challenge of how to meet the demand and how to accommodate it. That is a challenge.
Part of it is directly attributable to the fact that, rightly—it is an
instruction that I applaud and agree with—the Prime Minister told working
holiday-makers to go home at the start of the pandemic. He told them to go home
and many did. That is what has caused a significant challenge with respect to
workers in the regions. Working holiday-makers, colloquially termed
backpackers, are a big part of our tourism sector, but they are also a big part
of the workforce for the tourism sector and the regional workforce. They often
do hospitality work and jobs like cleaning in hotels and other accommodation,
they work behind bars and as baristas—they do all those sorts of jobs.
They frequently do it at the peak of the season. They save up, live on the
smell of an oily rag and then splurge in the market, so that is all a good part
of the sector. But the truth is that tens of thousands of those people were
sent home and they went. That is a workforce that we no longer have. Beyond
that, there are demands in every sector, in not only accommodation or
hospitality but also resources and manufacturing. I know that in the defence
issues portfolio, we have done such a good job of supporting the industry in Western
Australia that there is lots of opportunity in that sector. Every sector is
seeking skilled labourers and unskilled labourers so that they can train
people. It is a competitive market.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Sit him
down!
Mr P. PAPALIA : I am sorry
for answering the question, Mr Speaker. Apparently, the opposition does not
want me to answer its question. It would prefer that I ignore the question the
member has asked. But the truth is we have launched the Work and Wander Out
Yonder campaign.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr P. PAPALIA : That has been
very successful, has had thousands of responses and has demonstrated interest
to attract people from the metropolitan area. But, ultimately, in Western Australia,
we confront the challenge of getting more workers for more jobs —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, there
is only one person I want to hear.
Mr P. PAPALIA : — because
there is lots of opportunity in WA. I would rather have that problem than the
one people are confronting in South Australia right now.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Tell us all
again!
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.