❓ A parliamentary question regarding the Minister's alleged plan to bring 150,000 workers from Ireland to WA, given the low rental vacancy rate. The Minister denies the plan and outlines the government's strategies for addressing housing affordability.
AnsweredQoN 5359Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Minister's plan to bring 150,000 workers to Western Australia from Ireland. Recent figures released by the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia (REIWA) show the vacancy rate for rental properties was only 1.6 per cent in February. On 20 March 2012, REIWA reported that there are currently only around 2,000 rental properties on a market which is considered to be at crisis point. Therefore, I ask where does the Minister expect the 150,000 workers from Ireland to be housed?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
2 May 2012
Responded by
Minister for Training and Workforce Development
Response time
36 days
I have no plans to bring 150 000 workers to Western Australia from Ireland.
The number you have quoted seems to refer to research by the Department of Training and Workforce Development, as reported in
Skilling WA
, which forecasts that Western Australia may experience a labour deficit of 150 000 workers by 2017.
I reiterate that the State Government's first workforce development priority is the training and preparing of Western Australians for the workforce. However, the scale of the expected labour demand over the coming years means that targeted skilled migration will be a necessary strategy.
And yes - this will mean additional infrastructure such as housing. As the Hon Member is aware, the State Government has recently released "Affordable Housing Strategy 2010 - 2020: Opening Doors to Affordable Housing". Further, the Government has also established the Office of Land and Housing Supply. These two initiatives are focused on increasing the availability of affordable housing, for Western Australia's growing population.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
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The number you have quoted seems to refer to research by the Department of Training and Workforce Development, as reported in
Skilling WA
, which forecasts that Western Australia may experience a labour deficit of 150 000 workers by 2017.
I reiterate that the State Government's first workforce development priority is the training and preparing of Western Australians for the workforce. However, the scale of the expected labour demand over the coming years means that targeted skilled migration will be a necessary strategy.
And yes - this will mean additional infrastructure such as housing. As the Hon Member is aware, the State Government has recently released "Affordable Housing Strategy 2010 - 2020: Opening Doors to Affordable Housing". Further, the Government has also established the Office of Land and Housing Supply. These two initiatives are focused on increasing the availability of affordable housing, for Western Australia's growing population.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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