❓ Mr. Kelly questions the Minister for Water about job cuts in the Water Corporation's regional customer service group, particularly the disproportionate impact on regional areas and the lack of assessment regarding the economic and social consequences. The Minister defends the cuts as necessary for efficiency and adapting to changing business needs.
AnsweredQoN 652Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER
CORPORATION — REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICES GROUP — EMPLOYEES
652. Mr D.J. KELLY to the Minister for
Water:
I refer to the minister's
answers in the Legislative Council that show that in the last financial year
the Water Corporation cut 309 full-time equivalent jobs, including 135 full-time
equivalent jobs from the regional customer service group, including jobs in the
midwest, the south west, the north west, the goldfields and the great southern.
(1) Why under the
minister's leadership has she allowed regional areas on a per capita
basis to bear the brunt of the job cuts in the Water Corporation?
(2) Did the
minister or anyone else in government make any assessment of the economic and
social impact of these job losses on regional centres before she implemented
them; and, if yes, what did that assessment show?
CORPORATION — REGIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICES GROUP — EMPLOYEES
652. Mr D.J. KELLY to the Minister for
Water:
I refer to the minister's
answers in the Legislative Council that show that in the last financial year
the Water Corporation cut 309 full-time equivalent jobs, including 135 full-time
equivalent jobs from the regional customer service group, including jobs in the
midwest, the south west, the north west, the goldfields and the great southern.
(1) Why under the
minister's leadership has she allowed regional areas on a per capita
basis to bear the brunt of the job cuts in the Water Corporation?
(2) Did the
minister or anyone else in government make any assessment of the economic and
social impact of these job losses on regional centres before she implemented
them; and, if yes, what did that assessment show?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
I thought he had forgotten about me, as I have not had a question from him for
a while.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : He does not have very much interest; he is too busy out there
peddling ridiculous arguments in the media.
Several members interjected.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : It is true. Members should see what he has been talking about
in the media this morning; it is absolutely ridiculous. I am very happy to talk
about this.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : The answer to his questions are as follows —
(1)–(2)
We have been very up-front with the process that the Water Corporation is going
through at the moment in terms of making sure that it has the right people and
the right jobs to do the right tasks. I would suggest that every single person
in this house expects the Water Corporation to deliver taxpayers a good outcome
for the investment it makes. That means that as —
Mr D.J. Kelly : Taxpayers in regional
areas?
Ms M.J. DAVIES : Regional or
metropolitan, member. We are here for all Western Australians.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : I have explained at length that the nature of the business
that the Water Corporation carries out is changing. We have gone through an
exceptional period of change in this state in responding to a drying climate,
and it is a fact that the state has responded very well to demand management. We
have seen a reduction in capital investment going forward because we have put
in place large projects. As a consequence, that has had an impact on some of
the staffing we need in the organisation, and that includes regional jobs. We
have people in roles to support major projects such as the projects we are
delivering in the Pilbara —
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : I am not even going to respond to that.
In projects such as we are
delivering in the Pilbara we cannot simply have people working in an
organisation if they no longer have a role to play. As a consequence, yes, we
have seen jobs cut. That process is underway, it will continue for the
remainder of this year and there will be more losses. We have been very
up-front about that, but it is about making sure we have the right people in
the right roles to deliver a good outcome for the state taxpayers.
I thought he had forgotten about me, as I have not had a question from him for
a while.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : He does not have very much interest; he is too busy out there
peddling ridiculous arguments in the media.
Several members interjected.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : It is true. Members should see what he has been talking about
in the media this morning; it is absolutely ridiculous. I am very happy to talk
about this.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : The answer to his questions are as follows —
(1)–(2)
We have been very up-front with the process that the Water Corporation is going
through at the moment in terms of making sure that it has the right people and
the right jobs to do the right tasks. I would suggest that every single person
in this house expects the Water Corporation to deliver taxpayers a good outcome
for the investment it makes. That means that as —
Mr D.J. Kelly : Taxpayers in regional
areas?
Ms M.J. DAVIES : Regional or
metropolitan, member. We are here for all Western Australians.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston!
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : I have explained at length that the nature of the business
that the Water Corporation carries out is changing. We have gone through an
exceptional period of change in this state in responding to a drying climate,
and it is a fact that the state has responded very well to demand management. We
have seen a reduction in capital investment going forward because we have put
in place large projects. As a consequence, that has had an impact on some of
the staffing we need in the organisation, and that includes regional jobs. We
have people in roles to support major projects such as the projects we are
delivering in the Pilbara —
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Ms
M.J. DAVIES : I am not even going to respond to that.
In projects such as we are
delivering in the Pilbara we cannot simply have people working in an
organisation if they no longer have a role to play. As a consequence, yes, we
have seen jobs cut. That process is underway, it will continue for the
remainder of this year and there will be more losses. We have been very
up-front about that, but it is about making sure we have the right people in
the right roles to deliver a good outcome for the state taxpayers.
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