❓ Mrs. Clarke asks how the McGowan government's financial management has led to job creation and training support. The Premier outlines job growth, infrastructure projects, housing initiatives, tourism support, and training investments.
AnsweredQoN 395Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MCGOWAN GOVERNMENT —
JOB CREATION
395. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Premier:
Can the Premier outline to the house
how the McGowan Labor government's responsible financial management has
meant more investment in job-creating projects and more support for our
training sector?
JOB CREATION
395. Mrs R.M.J. CLARKE to the Premier:
Can the Premier outline to the house
how the McGowan Labor government's responsible financial management has
meant more investment in job-creating projects and more support for our
training sector?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
Since we came to office, 44 000 new jobs have been created in Western Australia.
In April, 6 500 jobs were created—the second highest rate of growth in
Australia—and 4 700 of those jobs are full-time. That is a significant
improvement, since we inherited the worst unemployment rate in Australia under
the Liberals and Nationals. At the heart of this government's budget is
our $4.1 billion construction program on Metronet, and our plan to invest in
train construction here in Western Australia. Construction is set to get
underway this year on three of those Metronet projects. We are spending $4.2 billion
on road infrastructure and maintenance, including 25 major projects in Perth
and regional Western Australia. Through Keystart, we have succeeded in boosting
the housing sector. There has been a significant increase in inquiries as a consequence.
I know that the Liberal Party in Western Australia hates it, and I know the
Liberal Party nationally loves it. We have provided a record amount of support
for tourism. We have invested $4.5 million in our international education
strategy, and that shows that good financial management allows us to do good
things. We are implementing the new employer incentive scheme, a $182 million
scheme that provides a base payment of $8 500 to employers—including
small businesses, which had been excluded before—for employing an
apprentice or trainee. Small businesses are the beneficiaries of that, and they
never have been before. That is real training for real jobs. We have extended
the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund to the mining sector,
which has never been done before, so that the mining sector now contributes in
the same way as the building and construction sector to training Western Australians.
No government before has had the courage to do that.
Mr R.S. Love : It is a good
policy.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you; I am
glad you are congratulating me.
Mr R.S. Love : It was our
policy in the first place.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Hold on, if it
was your policy, you had eight and a half years and you did not do it, but I appreciate
the member's support, and I mean that sincerely.
We
inherited a training sector from the member for Scarborough, in which TAFE fees
had increased by 500 per cent . We have frozen TAFE fees. We have rebuilt
the sector on what we inherited from the Liberals and Nationals in office. We
want to see more Western Australians trained to take advantage of the great job
opportunities available here in Western Australia, and I think our record of 44
000 new jobs since we have been in office says that we are serious about
ensuring that Western Australia gets back on track.
Since we came to office, 44 000 new jobs have been created in Western Australia.
In April, 6 500 jobs were created—the second highest rate of growth in
Australia—and 4 700 of those jobs are full-time. That is a significant
improvement, since we inherited the worst unemployment rate in Australia under
the Liberals and Nationals. At the heart of this government's budget is
our $4.1 billion construction program on Metronet, and our plan to invest in
train construction here in Western Australia. Construction is set to get
underway this year on three of those Metronet projects. We are spending $4.2 billion
on road infrastructure and maintenance, including 25 major projects in Perth
and regional Western Australia. Through Keystart, we have succeeded in boosting
the housing sector. There has been a significant increase in inquiries as a consequence.
I know that the Liberal Party in Western Australia hates it, and I know the
Liberal Party nationally loves it. We have provided a record amount of support
for tourism. We have invested $4.5 million in our international education
strategy, and that shows that good financial management allows us to do good
things. We are implementing the new employer incentive scheme, a $182 million
scheme that provides a base payment of $8 500 to employers—including
small businesses, which had been excluded before—for employing an
apprentice or trainee. Small businesses are the beneficiaries of that, and they
never have been before. That is real training for real jobs. We have extended
the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund to the mining sector,
which has never been done before, so that the mining sector now contributes in
the same way as the building and construction sector to training Western Australians.
No government before has had the courage to do that.
Mr R.S. Love : It is a good
policy.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you; I am
glad you are congratulating me.
Mr R.S. Love : It was our
policy in the first place.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Hold on, if it
was your policy, you had eight and a half years and you did not do it, but I appreciate
the member's support, and I mean that sincerely.
We
inherited a training sector from the member for Scarborough, in which TAFE fees
had increased by 500 per cent . We have frozen TAFE fees. We have rebuilt
the sector on what we inherited from the Liberals and Nationals in office. We
want to see more Western Australians trained to take advantage of the great job
opportunities available here in Western Australia, and I think our record of 44
000 new jobs since we have been in office says that we are serious about
ensuring that Western Australia gets back on track.
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