❓ Mr. Mubarakai asks about the implementation of the WA Jobs Act and its benefits for small businesses. The Premier responds by highlighting the government's commitment to supporting local businesses through procurement and training opportunities, while also referencing a previous member's criticism of the former government's support for small businesses.
AnsweredQoN 752Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN JOBS ACT —
IMPLEMENTATION
752. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Premier:
I refer to the WA Jobs Act, which this government passed last
year, and the government's commitment to put WA jobs and small
businesses first. Will the Premier please update the house on the
implementation of the act and how small businesses will benefit from this good
Labor policy?
IMPLEMENTATION
752. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Premier:
I refer to the WA Jobs Act, which this government passed last
year, and the government's commitment to put WA jobs and small
businesses first. Will the Premier please update the house on the
implementation of the act and how small businesses will benefit from this good
Labor policy?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Jandakot for the question. The member
is a person who has run a range of small businesses here in Western Australia and employed a range of Western Australians
in his businesses around the Perth metropolitan area. He is someone who
understands the issue confronting small business well. Under the WA Jobs Act,
it is planned to assist us in diversifying the economy and delivering greater
economic opportunities for businesses in Western Australia. Through this and
the $27 billion a year in procurement undertaken by the general government
sector and government trading enterprises, we plan to maximise the
opportunities for local Western Australian businesses. That is because we are a
government that supports small and medium-sized enterprises in Western Australia,
enterprises like Lotterywest, the TAB, the taxi industry and our shops and
shopping centres that do not want 24-hour trading. That is the sort of
government we are. We want to support all these small businesses in our state
and we want to make sure that we maximise the opportunities for them to benefit
from government contracts.
The act will also promote more apprenticeships and training
opportunities and it will ensure that the opportunities are written into the
contracts that the enterprises that win government contracts enter into with
government. We set up the WA Industry Link portal. Over 16 000 users visited
the portal, with over 24 000 sessions involved. The feedback has been great, in particular from regional businesses. One
regional business owner advises, and I quote —
The presentation demonstrated real
opportunities for local SMEs.
We also found that another person said, and I quote —
I learned how I can start to
access State Government tender opportunities �
That is because of the sessions we held around regional Western
Australia and all over the state. I met some of the presenters in Esperance,
and I know they have been to other communities around the state to ensure that Western
Australian businesses are the beneficiaries of the contracts of government.
It is interesting the member for Jandakot asking this
question because he replaced another member for Jandakot, Joe Francis, who lost
his seat with I think a 19 per cent swing against him. This is what Joe Francis
had to say after the election.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : This is what
he had to say after the election. Let me quote.
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough, I gave you have a leave pass and you just cancelled it. Member for
Scarborough, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I just want to
finish on this quote from another member for Jandakot, Hon Joe Francis. He had
to say this after the election.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quote —
We let down our base � small to
medium-sized businesses—people who have mortgaged their homes � we let
them down.
Everyone knows that under this
government, we support Western Australians.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine
Mr M. McGOWAN : We support Western
Australian businesses. We support small business. The evidence is there every
single day with what we are doing in this Parliament. We are trying to lift and
support Western Australian businesses and small businesses to be the best they
can be.
is a person who has run a range of small businesses here in Western Australia and employed a range of Western Australians
in his businesses around the Perth metropolitan area. He is someone who
understands the issue confronting small business well. Under the WA Jobs Act,
it is planned to assist us in diversifying the economy and delivering greater
economic opportunities for businesses in Western Australia. Through this and
the $27 billion a year in procurement undertaken by the general government
sector and government trading enterprises, we plan to maximise the
opportunities for local Western Australian businesses. That is because we are a
government that supports small and medium-sized enterprises in Western Australia,
enterprises like Lotterywest, the TAB, the taxi industry and our shops and
shopping centres that do not want 24-hour trading. That is the sort of
government we are. We want to support all these small businesses in our state
and we want to make sure that we maximise the opportunities for them to benefit
from government contracts.
The act will also promote more apprenticeships and training
opportunities and it will ensure that the opportunities are written into the
contracts that the enterprises that win government contracts enter into with
government. We set up the WA Industry Link portal. Over 16 000 users visited
the portal, with over 24 000 sessions involved. The feedback has been great, in particular from regional businesses. One
regional business owner advises, and I quote —
The presentation demonstrated real
opportunities for local SMEs.
We also found that another person said, and I quote —
I learned how I can start to
access State Government tender opportunities �
That is because of the sessions we held around regional Western
Australia and all over the state. I met some of the presenters in Esperance,
and I know they have been to other communities around the state to ensure that Western
Australian businesses are the beneficiaries of the contracts of government.
It is interesting the member for Jandakot asking this
question because he replaced another member for Jandakot, Joe Francis, who lost
his seat with I think a 19 per cent swing against him. This is what Joe Francis
had to say after the election.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : This is what
he had to say after the election. Let me quote.
Several members interjected.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough, I gave you have a leave pass and you just cancelled it. Member for
Scarborough, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I just want to
finish on this quote from another member for Jandakot, Hon Joe Francis. He had
to say this after the election.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I quote —
We let down our base � small to
medium-sized businesses—people who have mortgaged their homes � we let
them down.
Everyone knows that under this
government, we support Western Australians.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine
Mr M. McGOWAN : We support Western
Australian businesses. We support small business. The evidence is there every
single day with what we are doing in this Parliament. We are trying to lift and
support Western Australian businesses and small businesses to be the best they
can be.
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