❓ Ms. Hanns asks about the Cook Labor government's progress on bringing maintenance services back in-house at Main Roads WA. The Minister responds by highlighting job creation, Aboriginal employment targets, and criticising the previous Liberal/National government's privatisation policies.
AnsweredQoN 167Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Main Roads—Maintenance
167. Ms Jodie Hanns to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to move maintenance services back in-house at
Main Roads Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister
update the house on the implementation of this important commitment?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how this
government is prioritising our regions by creating jobs and investing in
regional infrastructure?
167. Ms Jodie Hanns to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to move maintenance services back in-house at
Main Roads Western Australia.
(1) Can the minister
update the house on the implementation of this important commitment?
(2) Can the minister advise the house how this
government is prioritising our regions by creating jobs and investing in
regional infrastructure?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for that
question. Of course, one of our key priorities across regional WA has been road
building and bringing back into government what had been outsourced—that
is, the road maintenance program. Again, the Liberal and National Parties used
to rip jobs out of regional WA; they privatised and contracted them out. They
ripped jobs and job certainty out of regional WA when they entered into long-term
maintenance projects. What that meant was a lack of job security, a reduction in
employment in key towns and, significantly, a reduction in Aboriginal
employment in road maintenance and construction.
We have been reversing that
trend. I am happy to report that over 500 full-time jobs have been created
throughout the state by bringing road maintenance back into Main Roads. We set
ourselves targets in relation to jobs for Aboriginal people and helping
Aboriginal small businesses. I am proud to report that the transport portfolio
recently surpassed a major milestone, achieving over 3.6 million hours worked
by Aboriginal people across our major infrastructure projects. The milestone
was reached a year before our target date of June 2026 and represents that nearly
8% of all hours worked across the portfolio's infrastructure program was done by
Aboriginal businesses and people. This follows another significant target that
we met in December 2024, which was $700 million worth of works delivered by
Aboriginal businesses. We are supporting Aboriginal people and Aboriginal
businesses in getting full-time employment and being part of the very, very
significant road-building program.
The Wilman Wadandi Highway is
one project that the member for Collie–Preston's constituents are very,
very appreciative of, as are the member for Bunbury's, given the massive time
savings and improvements in safety that it has meant for their residents. That
is the difference between this side and the other side, which, in government, ripped
services out of regional WA and privatised jobs throughout regional WA, whether
it was Water Corporation or Main Roads jobs. We are investing in and creating
secure long-term jobs in regional WA.
I am glad the member mentioned
Toodyay. I recall that one of the first issues I had to deal with when we came to
government was that the National Party had defunded the AvonLink . The National Party ripped the money out
of it.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Rita Saffioti: I remember that I was sitting in a
meeting and was told that the previous government had cut funding from the AvonLink . Its plan was to close it.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: That is a blatant lie!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Central Wheatbelt,
you cannot accuse someone of lying. Please withdraw that.
Withdrawal of remark
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I withdraw.
The Speaker: Thank you. Carry on, minister.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Rita Saffioti: Member for Central Wheatbelt, that
was what I was presented with when I came in. I am so glad that he interjected
and talked about train services because it is our government that continues to
invest in regional WA and has committed to cutting fares for Transwa
passengers. As I have already said, I am so glad that we traded down in that
seat. We had Mia Davies and now we have you, and we are so appreciative of that!
And she lost Bullwinkel; it is a win–win, members. It is a mutually
beneficial win–win situation.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Thank you, minister. If you could start
to conclude your remarks.
Ms Rita Saffioti: I know you love the acknowledgement,
member for Central Wheatbelt. He is agitated. I am so glad that we traded down—very
theatrical!
We have demonstrated a commitment to regional WA, a
commitment to local jobs and a commitment to making sure that we have new
employment opportunities throughout the regions.
question. Of course, one of our key priorities across regional WA has been road
building and bringing back into government what had been outsourced—that
is, the road maintenance program. Again, the Liberal and National Parties used
to rip jobs out of regional WA; they privatised and contracted them out. They
ripped jobs and job certainty out of regional WA when they entered into long-term
maintenance projects. What that meant was a lack of job security, a reduction in
employment in key towns and, significantly, a reduction in Aboriginal
employment in road maintenance and construction.
We have been reversing that
trend. I am happy to report that over 500 full-time jobs have been created
throughout the state by bringing road maintenance back into Main Roads. We set
ourselves targets in relation to jobs for Aboriginal people and helping
Aboriginal small businesses. I am proud to report that the transport portfolio
recently surpassed a major milestone, achieving over 3.6 million hours worked
by Aboriginal people across our major infrastructure projects. The milestone
was reached a year before our target date of June 2026 and represents that nearly
8% of all hours worked across the portfolio's infrastructure program was done by
Aboriginal businesses and people. This follows another significant target that
we met in December 2024, which was $700 million worth of works delivered by
Aboriginal businesses. We are supporting Aboriginal people and Aboriginal
businesses in getting full-time employment and being part of the very, very
significant road-building program.
The Wilman Wadandi Highway is
one project that the member for Collie–Preston's constituents are very,
very appreciative of, as are the member for Bunbury's, given the massive time
savings and improvements in safety that it has meant for their residents. That
is the difference between this side and the other side, which, in government, ripped
services out of regional WA and privatised jobs throughout regional WA, whether
it was Water Corporation or Main Roads jobs. We are investing in and creating
secure long-term jobs in regional WA.
I am glad the member mentioned
Toodyay. I recall that one of the first issues I had to deal with when we came to
government was that the National Party had defunded the AvonLink . The National Party ripped the money out
of it.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Rita Saffioti: I remember that I was sitting in a
meeting and was told that the previous government had cut funding from the AvonLink . Its plan was to close it.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: That is a blatant lie!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Central Wheatbelt,
you cannot accuse someone of lying. Please withdraw that.
Withdrawal of remark
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I withdraw.
The Speaker: Thank you. Carry on, minister.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Rita Saffioti: Member for Central Wheatbelt, that
was what I was presented with when I came in. I am so glad that he interjected
and talked about train services because it is our government that continues to
invest in regional WA and has committed to cutting fares for Transwa
passengers. As I have already said, I am so glad that we traded down in that
seat. We had Mia Davies and now we have you, and we are so appreciative of that!
And she lost Bullwinkel; it is a win–win, members. It is a mutually
beneficial win–win situation.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Thank you, minister. If you could start
to conclude your remarks.
Ms Rita Saffioti: I know you love the acknowledgement,
member for Central Wheatbelt. He is agitated. I am so glad that we traded down—very
theatrical!
We have demonstrated a commitment to regional WA, a
commitment to local jobs and a commitment to making sure that we have new
employment opportunities throughout the regions.
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