❓ Dr. Krishnan asks the Premier about the government's commitment to reviving local engineering and steel fabrication, particularly railcar manufacturing, and how this supports the state amidst global economic uncertainty. The Premier responds by highlighting recent successes in bringing railcar manufacturing back to WA and future investment plans.
AnsweredQoN 595Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JOBS — RAILCAR MANUFACTURING
595. Dr J. KRISHNAN to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the members for Southern River and Thornlie, I acknowledge the teachers and student leaders from St Munchin's
Catholic School. Also, on behalf of the member for Joondalup, I acknowledge
the student leaders from St Simon Peter Catholic Primary School in Joondalup.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to diversifying the state's economy and
to bringing local manufacturing back to Western Australia.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on this government's commitment to reviving
local engineering and steel fabrication in WA?
(2) Can the
Premier outline to the house how this will help to support the state in the
face of global economic uncertainty?
595. Dr J. KRISHNAN to the Premier:
Before I ask my question, on behalf
of the members for Southern River and Thornlie, I acknowledge the teachers and student leaders from St Munchin's
Catholic School. Also, on behalf of the member for Joondalup, I acknowledge
the student leaders from St Simon Peter Catholic Primary School in Joondalup.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to diversifying the state's economy and
to bringing local manufacturing back to Western Australia.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on this government's commitment to reviving
local engineering and steel fabrication in WA?
(2) Can the
Premier outline to the house how this will help to support the state in the
face of global economic uncertainty?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Riverton for
the question.
(1)–(2) I
reiterate that the government has worked very hard to create the strongest
economy in Australia and probably the world. With concerns about a global
recession, it is very important that a safe pair of hands is in charge of Western
Australia. We have worked very hard to diversify the economy. Part of that is
about bringing manufacturing back to Western Australia.
As
members will know, there is manufacturing of railcars in Midland. The new
Metronet cars and Australind cars are being manufactured here in Western
Australia for the first time in over 30 years. We have also worked with industry to bring back iron ore
railcar manufacturing to Western Australia. Today, the member for
Bassendean and I joined BHP at UGL in Bassendean where it announced that 149
iron ore railcars would be manufactured here in Western Australia over the next
four years. BHP has listened to our calls for
the manufacturing of iron ore railcars to be reinstated in Western Australia,
which will provide enormous opportunities for our local workforce,
apprenticeships in steel fabrication, local engineering and the like. The
member for Bassendean and I inspected some of these railcars today that are now
being manufactured here in Western Australia for the first time in many, many
years. This follows Rio Tinto's commitment last year that it would build railcars in Western Australia, again for
the first time in many years, with 50 railcars being manufactured by Rio
Tinto.
The government has commissioned an
independent study into this. There is a strong case for further manufacturing
of railcars, including for other parts of the mining industry and the grain
industry in Western Australia. We have therefore established a $15 million
local manufacturing investment fund to promote
this. It is a very exciting day. Some people, particularly opposition members,
said that it could not be done. Before the last election, they said that
railcar manufacturing could not occur in Western Australia . In fact, the
Liberal Party said that it was an industry from a bygone era. They should tell
that to the people in Midland and Bassendean who are working on manufacturing
railcars here in Western Australia for the first time in many years.
the question.
(1)–(2) I
reiterate that the government has worked very hard to create the strongest
economy in Australia and probably the world. With concerns about a global
recession, it is very important that a safe pair of hands is in charge of Western
Australia. We have worked very hard to diversify the economy. Part of that is
about bringing manufacturing back to Western Australia.
As
members will know, there is manufacturing of railcars in Midland. The new
Metronet cars and Australind cars are being manufactured here in Western
Australia for the first time in over 30 years. We have also worked with industry to bring back iron ore
railcar manufacturing to Western Australia. Today, the member for
Bassendean and I joined BHP at UGL in Bassendean where it announced that 149
iron ore railcars would be manufactured here in Western Australia over the next
four years. BHP has listened to our calls for
the manufacturing of iron ore railcars to be reinstated in Western Australia,
which will provide enormous opportunities for our local workforce,
apprenticeships in steel fabrication, local engineering and the like. The
member for Bassendean and I inspected some of these railcars today that are now
being manufactured here in Western Australia for the first time in many, many
years. This follows Rio Tinto's commitment last year that it would build railcars in Western Australia, again for
the first time in many years, with 50 railcars being manufactured by Rio
Tinto.
The government has commissioned an
independent study into this. There is a strong case for further manufacturing
of railcars, including for other parts of the mining industry and the grain
industry in Western Australia. We have therefore established a $15 million
local manufacturing investment fund to promote
this. It is a very exciting day. Some people, particularly opposition members,
said that it could not be done. Before the last election, they said that
railcar manufacturing could not occur in Western Australia . In fact, the
Liberal Party said that it was an industry from a bygone era. They should tell
that to the people in Midland and Bassendean who are working on manufacturing
railcars here in Western Australia for the first time in many years.
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