❓ The Minister outlines the government's initiatives to address the skills shortage in the building and construction industry, highlighting fee-free TAFE, wage subsidies, and incentives for interstate and overseas workers. The response also criticises the previous Liberal-National government's approach to TAFE funding.
AnsweredQoN 225Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Building and construction industry—Training
225. Mr Stuart Aubrey to
the Minister for Skills and TAFE:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to strengthening Western Australia's building and
construction workforce.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how the
government's expansion of fee-free TAFE will get more Western Australians into
quality jobs?
(2) Can the minister advise the house what
additional training measures the government is delivering to get more homes
built in WA?
225. Mr Stuart Aubrey to
the Minister for Skills and TAFE:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to strengthening Western Australia's building and
construction workforce.
(1) Can the minister outline to the house how the
government's expansion of fee-free TAFE will get more Western Australians into
quality jobs?
(2) Can the minister advise the house what
additional training measures the government is delivering to get more homes
built in WA?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for an excellent question that actually had a question mark at
the end of it, as opposed to an exclamation mark. I thank the member for
his question. As this house well knows, we are building on the work that has
been done over the last few years with fee-free TAFE supporting a skilled
workforce. This government will supercharge construction skills and support the
trades that we need to build more houses. We need more bricklayers, cabinet-makers,
carpenters, electricians, painters, plasterers, plumbers and tilers, and that
is why we have committed an additional $21.9 million in this budget for fee-free
TAFE and another seven courses in the residential construction trades. This is
critical for delivering the pipeline of housing that we need and will also support
other major projects.
We are also encouraging
innovation. On Sunday, we were at a great modular residential housing company that
is also able to benefit from the construction visa and Build a Life in WA
supports to be able to bring tradespeople from overseas and interstate. Since 2017,
apprenticeship commencements in the building and construction trade have
increased by 94%. That is a 94% increase since 2017 after falling to 47% in the
four years under the Liberal–National government. It had no faith in it.
It reduced apprentices, slashed TAFE courses and jacked up fees by 500%, which
was one of the reasons we ended up in that incredible skills crunch that we
saw. The funding of this budget is $37.5 million just to support Western
Australia's construction workforce. It includes $25 million to expand the group
training organisation wage subsidies so that GTOs can recruit more Western
Australians for in-demand skills. This will boost the program by 1,000 places.
That is an increase of 1,000 places through government trading enterprises
alone. We know that this is critical for industry to play a massive role in our
state's construction workforce. We have a strong economy, we have low
unemployment and demand for skilled workers means that we need to bring in a work-ready
and job-ready workforce as well. That is $12 million to extend the highly
successful $10,000 Build a Life in WA incentive and construction visa subsidy program,
which not only supports individuals to relocate, buy tools, buy furniture and put
down a rental deposit, but also employers and organisations with the costs of
going through that visa program. It is a practical measure that is helping lift
those numbers today. It is also increasing the pipeline for tomorrow. It is
making sure we have the skills and the manpower—the men and women who
are ready to work in the construction trade.
Contrast that with the Liberal–National
government that slashed funding to TAFE and jacked up their prices. Many of us
will remember in 2015–16, having parents on the phone crying, in tears,
and the stories of people working in TAFE, and of parents having to turn to
their children who want to train to say, "I'm sorry, we can't afford this".
For a parent to say, "I'm sorry, I can't afford TAFE", is an absolute
disgrace. It is an outrage. We have corrected that. We are now providing a
pipeline for our young people and for those areas that need those skills in Western
Australia. We are committed to the young people of the future and we are committed
to making sure we get those houses built.
thank the member for an excellent question that actually had a question mark at
the end of it, as opposed to an exclamation mark. I thank the member for
his question. As this house well knows, we are building on the work that has
been done over the last few years with fee-free TAFE supporting a skilled
workforce. This government will supercharge construction skills and support the
trades that we need to build more houses. We need more bricklayers, cabinet-makers,
carpenters, electricians, painters, plasterers, plumbers and tilers, and that
is why we have committed an additional $21.9 million in this budget for fee-free
TAFE and another seven courses in the residential construction trades. This is
critical for delivering the pipeline of housing that we need and will also support
other major projects.
We are also encouraging
innovation. On Sunday, we were at a great modular residential housing company that
is also able to benefit from the construction visa and Build a Life in WA
supports to be able to bring tradespeople from overseas and interstate. Since 2017,
apprenticeship commencements in the building and construction trade have
increased by 94%. That is a 94% increase since 2017 after falling to 47% in the
four years under the Liberal–National government. It had no faith in it.
It reduced apprentices, slashed TAFE courses and jacked up fees by 500%, which
was one of the reasons we ended up in that incredible skills crunch that we
saw. The funding of this budget is $37.5 million just to support Western
Australia's construction workforce. It includes $25 million to expand the group
training organisation wage subsidies so that GTOs can recruit more Western
Australians for in-demand skills. This will boost the program by 1,000 places.
That is an increase of 1,000 places through government trading enterprises
alone. We know that this is critical for industry to play a massive role in our
state's construction workforce. We have a strong economy, we have low
unemployment and demand for skilled workers means that we need to bring in a work-ready
and job-ready workforce as well. That is $12 million to extend the highly
successful $10,000 Build a Life in WA incentive and construction visa subsidy program,
which not only supports individuals to relocate, buy tools, buy furniture and put
down a rental deposit, but also employers and organisations with the costs of
going through that visa program. It is a practical measure that is helping lift
those numbers today. It is also increasing the pipeline for tomorrow. It is
making sure we have the skills and the manpower—the men and women who
are ready to work in the construction trade.
Contrast that with the Liberal–National
government that slashed funding to TAFE and jacked up their prices. Many of us
will remember in 2015–16, having parents on the phone crying, in tears,
and the stories of people working in TAFE, and of parents having to turn to
their children who want to train to say, "I'm sorry, we can't afford this".
For a parent to say, "I'm sorry, I can't afford TAFE", is an absolute
disgrace. It is an outrage. We have corrected that. We are now providing a
pipeline for our young people and for those areas that need those skills in Western
Australia. We are committed to the young people of the future and we are committed
to making sure we get those houses built.
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