❓ The Minister provides statistics on working days lost in the construction industry due to industrial disputes, contrasting figures under the current Labor government with those of the previous Coalition government, accusing the opposition leader of negativity.
AnsweredQoN 377Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Does the minister have any statistics on the number of working days lost in the construction industry? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. Before my answer, I acknowledge in the Speaker’s gallery the organising committee for the Australian Italian Apprentice of the Year award, ably led for many years by Vince Scurria. The 2002 winner of that award is here - Ms Jodie Pantaleo. I congratulate those people for their work. [Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. Before my answer, I acknowledge in the Speaker’s gallery the organising committee for the Australian Italian Apprentice of the Year award, ably led for many years by Vince Scurria. The 2002 winner of that award is here - Ms Jodie Pantaleo. I congratulate those people for their work. [Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
I thank the member for the question. Before my answer, I acknowledge in the Speaker’s gallery the organising committee for the Australian Italian Apprentice of the Year award, ably led for many years by Vince Scurria. The 2002 winner of that award is here - Ms Jodie Pantaleo. I congratulate those people for their work. [Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
[Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member for the question. Before my answer, I acknowledge in the Speaker’s gallery the organising committee for the Australian Italian Apprentice of the Year award, ably led for many years by Vince Scurria. The 2002 winner of that award is here - Ms Jodie Pantaleo. I congratulate those people for their work. [Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
I thank the member for the question. Before my answer, I acknowledge in the Speaker’s gallery the organising committee for the Australian Italian Apprentice of the Year award, ably led for many years by Vince Scurria. The 2002 winner of that award is here - Ms Jodie Pantaleo. I congratulate those people for their work. [Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
[Applause.] Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE: The Cole royal commission recently published data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on lost time per 1 000 employees through industrial disputes in the construction industry. For 2001, Western Australia’s figure was well below the national figure; namely, we lost 146 days, and the national figure was 211. During the eight years of coalition government, the number of days lost to industrial disputation in the construction industry was above the national average in seven out of eight years. In Labor’s first year, 2001, it was the lowest for several years, and well below the national average. I will go back over the past few years. In 2000, WA lost 362 days per 1 000 employees. The national figure was 234, which was clearly above the WA figure. In 1999, the figure for WA was 671 days, whereas for Australia the figure was 381 - nearly double. In 1998, 1 107 days were lost compared with a national average of 524. It goes on. The figures for days lost under a Liberal Government were nearly double the national figure; yet the Leader of the Opposition tries to drag the State down by talking about worsening industrial relations in the construction industry in this State, without any figures to support that. Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
Yesterday on ABC radio Mr Barnett stated, in part - We already have in recent months, seen a lot of industrial disruption on building sites . . . He went on - More industrial strife would simply be a very negative message to put out to people who are thinking of developing and building businesses in this state. The Leader of the Liberal Party wants people to believe the last part. He wants people to believe that industrial disputation on construction sites is worse, because he does not want to see development in Western Australia under the Gallop Government. That is his only reason. The nasty, negative Leader of the Liberal Party is saying that we cannot have development in this State under a Labor Government. He has no facts to support his statements. The figures from the Cole royal commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics are there in black and white. Under the Gallop Government, industrial disputation has fallen below the national average. It is the best result we have had in years; yet all we hear from the grumpy Leader of the Opposition is that things are getting worse. He has no facts to back up his case. He simply has a nasty intent to drag WA down because he is not in government. We see it time after time. The Leader of the Opposition should either move over and let someone else do the job or stop trying to drag down our great State, which under this Premier is going forward in leaps and bounds.
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