❓ Mr. Hughes questions the Premier on the $1.6 billion railcar manufacturing strategy and its impact on WA jobs and manufacturing, contrasting it with the previous government's approach. The Premier defends the strategy, highlighting its focus on local content and job creation, while criticizing the previous government's record.
AnsweredQoN 629Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RAILCAR MANUFACTURING
STRATEGY
629. Mr M. HUGHES to the Premier; Minister for State
Development, Jobs and Trade:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's massive, job-creating, $1.6 billion railcar manufacturing
strategy.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on how this significant investment will revive Western
Australia's manufacturing industry and put Western Australian jobs
first?
(2) Can the
Premier advise how this strategy compares with the approach to local
manufacturing taken by the previous Liberal–National government?
STRATEGY
629. Mr M. HUGHES to the Premier; Minister for State
Development, Jobs and Trade:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's massive, job-creating, $1.6 billion railcar manufacturing
strategy.
(1) Can the
Premier update the house on how this significant investment will revive Western
Australia's manufacturing industry and put Western Australian jobs
first?
(2) Can the
Premier advise how this strategy compares with the approach to local
manufacturing taken by the previous Liberal–National government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kalamunda. On
behalf of the member for Bunbury, I acknowledge the staff and students from
Grace Christian School in Bunbury who have come along to Parliament this
afternoon.
(1) Over the last
few months, we have heard some of the attacks by the Liberal Party on the Western
Australian workforce—in particular, attacks on the workers and
manufacturers who built Matagarup Bridge. We even heard the member for
Scarborough, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, say that they were not
providing quality when it came to building the bridge. This government is
supporting Western Australian manufacturers and Western Australian workers in
providing important infrastructure for our state. That is what our railcar
manufacturing strategy is doing. The Minister for Transport did a wonderful job
of ensuring the strategy was put together, and we have set a target of at least
50 per cent of railcars being manufactured in Western Australia.
(2) In contrast,
considering that the member asked me, the last government managed to achieve
two per cent local content when railcars were built.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I might add
that the Leader of the Opposition proudly stated in September 2016, in answer
to a question, that they were ''keeping the Queensland factory going.''
Former government members were proudly supporting Queensland jobs—advocating
for Queensland. They were dodging taxes in America and advocating for
Queensland, Mr Speaker!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the answer; it is a good answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Under this
government, we have seen a strategy to bring railcar manufacturing back to
Midland. We all recall in the early 1990s when the Liberal Party in government —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Carine, I call you to order
for the first time. You are dobbing, are you? I will call the member for
Nedlands, too!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We all recall
in the early 1990s when the Liberal Party in government closed the Midland railway
workshops and broke the hearts of people in that community. We are now bringing
rail manufacturing back to Midland, with Bellevue as the preferred location for
the new railcar facility. It will be co-located with the Public Transport
Authority's railcar depot, where Transperth will carry out maintenance
on the broader train fleet. Overall, the new railcar facility will assemble
most of the extra 246 railcars needed over the next decade, and, of course, it
will mean local jobs are created. Under this government, 25 times as much local
manufacturing as under the previous government will be carried out. Maybe
members opposites can do the maths. It is at least 50 per cent local
manufacturing versus two per cent under members opposite. It is at least 25 times
more local manufacturing of railcars here in Western Australia. Using Western Australian
workers and apprentices, we are bringing manufacturing back to Midland. It is a
good day for Western Australia.
behalf of the member for Bunbury, I acknowledge the staff and students from
Grace Christian School in Bunbury who have come along to Parliament this
afternoon.
(1) Over the last
few months, we have heard some of the attacks by the Liberal Party on the Western
Australian workforce—in particular, attacks on the workers and
manufacturers who built Matagarup Bridge. We even heard the member for
Scarborough, the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party, say that they were not
providing quality when it came to building the bridge. This government is
supporting Western Australian manufacturers and Western Australian workers in
providing important infrastructure for our state. That is what our railcar
manufacturing strategy is doing. The Minister for Transport did a wonderful job
of ensuring the strategy was put together, and we have set a target of at least
50 per cent of railcars being manufactured in Western Australia.
(2) In contrast,
considering that the member asked me, the last government managed to achieve
two per cent local content when railcars were built.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I might add
that the Leader of the Opposition proudly stated in September 2016, in answer
to a question, that they were ''keeping the Queensland factory going.''
Former government members were proudly supporting Queensland jobs—advocating
for Queensland. They were dodging taxes in America and advocating for
Queensland, Mr Speaker!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the answer; it is a good answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Under this
government, we have seen a strategy to bring railcar manufacturing back to
Midland. We all recall in the early 1990s when the Liberal Party in government —
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Carine, I call you to order
for the first time. You are dobbing, are you? I will call the member for
Nedlands, too!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We all recall
in the early 1990s when the Liberal Party in government closed the Midland railway
workshops and broke the hearts of people in that community. We are now bringing
rail manufacturing back to Midland, with Bellevue as the preferred location for
the new railcar facility. It will be co-located with the Public Transport
Authority's railcar depot, where Transperth will carry out maintenance
on the broader train fleet. Overall, the new railcar facility will assemble
most of the extra 246 railcars needed over the next decade, and, of course, it
will mean local jobs are created. Under this government, 25 times as much local
manufacturing as under the previous government will be carried out. Maybe
members opposites can do the maths. It is at least 50 per cent local
manufacturing versus two per cent under members opposite. It is at least 25 times
more local manufacturing of railcars here in Western Australia. Using Western Australian
workers and apprentices, we are bringing manufacturing back to Midland. It is a
good day for Western Australia.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.