❓ Mr. Tinley questions the Premier's support for importing unskilled foreign labour given WA's unemployment rates. The Premier defends his comments, citing international guest worker programs and opportunities for young people in the north.
AnsweredQoN 94Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FOREIGN UNSKILLED LABOUR — PREMIER'S
COMMENTS
94. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's comments in Singapore
recently about unskilled foreign labour.
(1) With youth unemployment in the Kwinana area
now running at well over 20 per cent, youth unemployment at almost 20 per cent
across the state, overall unemployment in the Kimberley alone running at 7.3
per cent and Indigenous unemployment still at more than 15 per cent
Australia-wide, why did the Premier call for all resource companies to be
allowed to import unskilled guest workers into Western Australia?
(2) Despite this resources boom, the pool of
unskilled jobs is shrinking. Therefore, in light of this and the unemployment
statistics I have just reminded the Premier of, is it not irresponsible of him
to be recommending importing unskilled workers from overseas?
COMMENTS
94. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's comments in Singapore
recently about unskilled foreign labour.
(1) With youth unemployment in the Kwinana area
now running at well over 20 per cent, youth unemployment at almost 20 per cent
across the state, overall unemployment in the Kimberley alone running at 7.3
per cent and Indigenous unemployment still at more than 15 per cent
Australia-wide, why did the Premier call for all resource companies to be
allowed to import unskilled guest workers into Western Australia?
(2) Despite this resources boom, the pool of
unskilled jobs is shrinking. Therefore, in light of this and the unemployment
statistics I have just reminded the Premier of, is it not irresponsible of him
to be recommending importing unskilled workers from overseas?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I did not notice the member for Willagee in Singapore when I was there last
week. It was a very important visit as this state reorientates itself towards
Asia and starts to integrate with Asia. Meanwhile, the rest of Australia stays
in a sort of a myopic view of itself and the differences between this state and
the rest of the country will become more pronounced.
Mr F.M. Logan : All hail the Emperor!
Mr M.P. Murray : That's where it's
coming from!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will tell you what;
we would export you if we had the chance! No country would take you!
Several
members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Getting back to the
question, I was asked by people in Singapore, including the media, about guest
worker programs. Guest worker programs are very common around the world. Some
countries operate them in a credible way, particularly amongst many of the
European nations where large numbers of people, mainly from the African
continent, work in a variety of different jobs. Members might —
Mr E.S. Ripper : Wouldn't you
tackle entrenched disadvantage in Western Australia first?
The SPEAKER : Member for Belmont!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I just want to make
the comment that a few years ago at a meeting in Europe the point was made to
me by members of the European Commission that the approach that they received
from African nations is that guest worker programs —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Which country?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The European Union; it
is not a country. Guest workers —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Name me one country.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Name me one country.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, you
have almost guaranteed that this is the last question. I formally call you to
order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will get to the
question, but the point I was making was that internationally, guest worker
programs are twice the value of all foreign aid and many developing nations
will say, as they do to the European Union, to employ their people,
particularly their unskilled people, to give them training and to allow them to
develop. I noticed on the television news during the weekend —
Mr P.C. Tinley : What about our
unskilled people?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am getting there. I
noticed on the weekend —
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr P.C. Tinley : Get there, quickly.
The
SPEAKER: Member for Willagee!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I noticed a television report—I think it was on the
ABC on Sunday night—about guest workers from Timor working in the
hospitality industry in Broome under a federal government program; they were
being praised. The responsible minister and I have had discussions about that
with the federal government. Only a small number of young women are learning skills in the catering industry; it
is a good program. Why not help young Timorese and others learn skills so that
they can go back to their countries?
I recognise that there are high
levels of youth unemployment in the areas around Kwinana, Rockingham and so on. I n other parts of the state,
there is an almost impossible situation with employing people to take on not
only highly skilled mining jobs, where there is a shortage, but also simple
labouring jobs, catering jobs and jobs in house duties around mining camps and
in the tourism industry. I suggest to the member opposite that if young people,
whether in his electorate or anywhere else, are fit and healthy and willing to
work and keen to work, they will find work. They will find it, but they might
have to move to the north and work in a remote location. If they are prepared
to do that, if they are fit and healthy and motivated and if they are prepared
to learn and take on some training, they will find the jobs.
Mr
P.C. Tinley : So it's their problem, is it?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Instead of coming in here and criticising an effective and
active government, why does the member for Willagee not bring in some of those
young people to see me, or I will go to see them ? If they are fit and healthy, I will do everything I can to
get them a job, but they might have to go north to work.
I did not notice the member for Willagee in Singapore when I was there last
week. It was a very important visit as this state reorientates itself towards
Asia and starts to integrate with Asia. Meanwhile, the rest of Australia stays
in a sort of a myopic view of itself and the differences between this state and
the rest of the country will become more pronounced.
Mr F.M. Logan : All hail the Emperor!
Mr M.P. Murray : That's where it's
coming from!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will tell you what;
we would export you if we had the chance! No country would take you!
Several
members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Getting back to the
question, I was asked by people in Singapore, including the media, about guest
worker programs. Guest worker programs are very common around the world. Some
countries operate them in a credible way, particularly amongst many of the
European nations where large numbers of people, mainly from the African
continent, work in a variety of different jobs. Members might —
Mr E.S. Ripper : Wouldn't you
tackle entrenched disadvantage in Western Australia first?
The SPEAKER : Member for Belmont!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I just want to make
the comment that a few years ago at a meeting in Europe the point was made to
me by members of the European Commission that the approach that they received
from African nations is that guest worker programs —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Which country?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The European Union; it
is not a country. Guest workers —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Name me one country.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker —
Mr W.J. Johnston : Name me one country.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, you
have almost guaranteed that this is the last question. I formally call you to
order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I will get to the
question, but the point I was making was that internationally, guest worker
programs are twice the value of all foreign aid and many developing nations
will say, as they do to the European Union, to employ their people,
particularly their unskilled people, to give them training and to allow them to
develop. I noticed on the television news during the weekend —
Mr P.C. Tinley : What about our
unskilled people?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am getting there. I
noticed on the weekend —
Several
members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr P.C. Tinley : Get there, quickly.
The
SPEAKER: Member for Willagee!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I noticed a television report—I think it was on the
ABC on Sunday night—about guest workers from Timor working in the
hospitality industry in Broome under a federal government program; they were
being praised. The responsible minister and I have had discussions about that
with the federal government. Only a small number of young women are learning skills in the catering industry; it
is a good program. Why not help young Timorese and others learn skills so that
they can go back to their countries?
I recognise that there are high
levels of youth unemployment in the areas around Kwinana, Rockingham and so on. I n other parts of the state,
there is an almost impossible situation with employing people to take on not
only highly skilled mining jobs, where there is a shortage, but also simple
labouring jobs, catering jobs and jobs in house duties around mining camps and
in the tourism industry. I suggest to the member opposite that if young people,
whether in his electorate or anywhere else, are fit and healthy and willing to
work and keen to work, they will find work. They will find it, but they might
have to move to the north and work in a remote location. If they are prepared
to do that, if they are fit and healthy and motivated and if they are prepared
to learn and take on some training, they will find the jobs.
Mr
P.C. Tinley : So it's their problem, is it?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Instead of coming in here and criticising an effective and
active government, why does the member for Willagee not bring in some of those
young people to see me, or I will go to see them ? If they are fit and healthy, I will do everything I can to
get them a job, but they might have to go north to work.
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