❓ Ms. Shaw asks the Premier how the government's trade relationships are strengthening the WA economy. The Premier highlights efforts to maintain strong trade relationships, particularly with Asian countries, and cites record export figures and business confidence levels.
AnsweredQoN 1017Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TRADE RELATIONS
1017. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Premier:
Before I begin, can I acknowledge the firefighters currently
responding to an emergency situation in Bullsbrook. I wish them every safety.
My thoughts, and I am sure all of our thoughts, are with the people affected in
that area.
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to growing the Western Australian economy by building and maintaining strong
relationships with our key trading partners. Can the Premier outline to the
house how this government's strong trade relationships are delivering a
stronger economy, helping create jobs and delivering confidence to business?
1017. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Premier:
Before I begin, can I acknowledge the firefighters currently
responding to an emergency situation in Bullsbrook. I wish them every safety.
My thoughts, and I am sure all of our thoughts, are with the people affected in
that area.
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to growing the Western Australian economy by building and maintaining strong
relationships with our key trading partners. Can the Premier outline to the
house how this government's strong trade relationships are delivering a
stronger economy, helping create jobs and delivering confidence to business?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. A strong Western Australian
economy depends on strong trading relationships with our key trading partners,
particularly in Asia. That is why as Premier and as a government we have gone
to huge efforts to keep those relationships strong. As Premier of the state for
the last two and a half years, I have visited China on a number of occasions,
Japan on two occasions, and South Korea, for a range of government and other
business engagements. Last week, I visited India for the same purpose and took
a delegation, as I said earlier, to take up issues related to tourism students
and also the resources and LNG sectors. If we have stronger relationships, we
can deliver a stronger Western Australian economy.
The latest trade figures show even more signs for Western Australians
to be optimistic about the economy. The value of Western Australian exports hit
a record high. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, WA has
exported $175.5 billion worth of goods in the past 12 months. That is a massive
increase of 28.4 per cent; the highest annual growth since 2011. Our share of
Australia's exports is now at a four-and-a-half-year high. These
figures show the importance of Western Australia's relationship with
China. Annual exports to China are at a record high. They have grown by more
than 44 per cent—the highest growth since 2011. China accounts for 52.3
per cent of all Western Australian exports—a record high. Over $82
billion worth of exports go to China. That is about a quarter of the Western Australian
economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs are dependent upon that trading
relationship.
I do get a little frustrated when I hear some irresponsible
commentary by some federal Liberal ministers and MPs. It is, in effect, putting
hundreds of thousands of Western Australian jobs at risk. Hundreds and
hundreds, if not thousands, of Western Australian businesses rely upon these
strong relationships. That is why it is important the government maintains and
strengthens these relationships. That is one of the reasons we are seeing
higher business confidence under this
government. The latest NAB business survey states that business confidence in Western
Australia is the highest in the country by a long, long way. It is
considerably higher than in New South Wales and in contrast with other states
where confidence is now negative. Business conditions in Western Australia are
now second in Australia and considerably higher than the Australian average. That
was according to the NAB business survey. The government is determined to
continue to provide that confidence and committed to ensuring that there is
confidence to invest in our state. That is why we are ensuring that our
relationship with our trading partners remains strong, which I would hope all
members of this house would endorse.
economy depends on strong trading relationships with our key trading partners,
particularly in Asia. That is why as Premier and as a government we have gone
to huge efforts to keep those relationships strong. As Premier of the state for
the last two and a half years, I have visited China on a number of occasions,
Japan on two occasions, and South Korea, for a range of government and other
business engagements. Last week, I visited India for the same purpose and took
a delegation, as I said earlier, to take up issues related to tourism students
and also the resources and LNG sectors. If we have stronger relationships, we
can deliver a stronger Western Australian economy.
The latest trade figures show even more signs for Western Australians
to be optimistic about the economy. The value of Western Australian exports hit
a record high. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, WA has
exported $175.5 billion worth of goods in the past 12 months. That is a massive
increase of 28.4 per cent; the highest annual growth since 2011. Our share of
Australia's exports is now at a four-and-a-half-year high. These
figures show the importance of Western Australia's relationship with
China. Annual exports to China are at a record high. They have grown by more
than 44 per cent—the highest growth since 2011. China accounts for 52.3
per cent of all Western Australian exports—a record high. Over $82
billion worth of exports go to China. That is about a quarter of the Western Australian
economy and hundreds of thousands of jobs are dependent upon that trading
relationship.
I do get a little frustrated when I hear some irresponsible
commentary by some federal Liberal ministers and MPs. It is, in effect, putting
hundreds of thousands of Western Australian jobs at risk. Hundreds and
hundreds, if not thousands, of Western Australian businesses rely upon these
strong relationships. That is why it is important the government maintains and
strengthens these relationships. That is one of the reasons we are seeing
higher business confidence under this
government. The latest NAB business survey states that business confidence in Western
Australia is the highest in the country by a long, long way. It is
considerably higher than in New South Wales and in contrast with other states
where confidence is now negative. Business conditions in Western Australia are
now second in Australia and considerably higher than the Australian average. That
was according to the NAB business survey. The government is determined to
continue to provide that confidence and committed to ensuring that there is
confidence to invest in our state. That is why we are ensuring that our
relationship with our trading partners remains strong, which I would hope all
members of this house would endorse.
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