❓ Question regarding the McGowan government's commitment to local railcar manufacturing, focusing on skills development and criticism of opposition views. The Minister defends the policy and attacks the opposition's stance.
AnsweredQoN 140Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JOBS — RAILCAR
MANUFACTURING
140. Mr R.R. WHITBY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to creating jobs and supporting local
businesses by bringing railcar manufacturing back to Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's commitment to local
railcar manufacturing will ensure Western Australians
have the skills and expertise to support and grow manufacturing throughout Western Australia?
(2) Is the
minister aware of anyone who does not support local railcar manufacturing in WA
and is threatening to once again destroy the industry?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am sure the minister can answer without
interjections.
MANUFACTURING
140. Mr R.R. WHITBY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to creating jobs and supporting local
businesses by bringing railcar manufacturing back to Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house how this government's commitment to local
railcar manufacturing will ensure Western Australians
have the skills and expertise to support and grow manufacturing throughout Western Australia?
(2) Is the
minister aware of anyone who does not support local railcar manufacturing in WA
and is threatening to once again destroy the industry?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I am sure the minister can answer without
interjections.
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Baldivis for
that question and his focus and commitment to local manufacturing in Western Australia.
(1)–(2) Earlier
this week we turned the sod on the $46 million railcar manufacturing and
assembly facility in Bellevue. It was great to be out there to see certainty
brought back to industry and see local workers building that facility. At least
50 per cent of our railcars will be manufactured here in Western Australia. It
is a $1.25 billion contract that will create certainty and bring back the railcar
manufacturing industry to Western Australia. Why? Because Western Australians
can do it. Western Australians should be building Western Australian trains. We
took this policy to the last election. At the last election, members opposite
believed that Western Australians were not up to the job. Yesterday, the Leader
of the Opposition once again outlined that the Liberal Party does not support
local railcar manufacturing. In her speech yesterday, the Leader of the
Opposition said —
� what we will not do is heavily
subsidise industries where the State has no comparative advantage, nor bring
back industries from a bygone era.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : She went on
to say that our investment was unsustainable, that we should not support a failed
manufacturing industry, and that it was a waste of our money.
Mr W.R. Marmion : We'll
see!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We will see,
alright.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Liberal
Party is turning its back on essential tradespeople in Western Australia. What
other trades are involved in building trains? They are engineering, mechanical
and electrical fitting, and welding. Somehow, the Leader of the Opposition does
not support these tradespeople. She believes that their work is from a bygone
era and that everyone involved in these industries throughout Western Australia
should not be involved in them. According to the Leader of the Opposition,
their work is from a bygone era.
What else did the Leader of the
Opposition say? She said that we had not released the cost of the program. The Leader of the Opposition is wrong. She said that
we had not developed a business case. The Leader of the Opposition is
wrong. She said that the railcar industry was subsidised. The Leader of the
Opposition is wrong. Our railcars are
cheaper than the ones members opposite paid for. The worst and most misleading
statement from the Leader of the Opposition was that our facility was
simply going to fitout trains from Victoria.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : That is absolute
disregard for workers and manufacturing industries in Western Australia. The idea
is that Western Australians should not build their own trains. Leader of the
Opposition, who should build our trains? There is no answer, but she does not
support Western Australians building our own trains. It is an absolute
disgrace.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Leader of
the Opposition talked about industries of a bygone era. She should look around.
All the Liberal Party does is bring in policies from a bygone era! We are out
there creating real jobs and members opposite are talking about air races that
have been cancelled around the world. That is where the Liberal Party is at
today with its performance on the economic front. The Leader of the Opposition
had an opportunity yesterday to prove her economic credentials. From all
reports, she demonstrated out there what she demonstrates in this place every day: she is not across the detail; she is
not across the economics; and she is not across the finances of this state.
that question and his focus and commitment to local manufacturing in Western Australia.
(1)–(2) Earlier
this week we turned the sod on the $46 million railcar manufacturing and
assembly facility in Bellevue. It was great to be out there to see certainty
brought back to industry and see local workers building that facility. At least
50 per cent of our railcars will be manufactured here in Western Australia. It
is a $1.25 billion contract that will create certainty and bring back the railcar
manufacturing industry to Western Australia. Why? Because Western Australians
can do it. Western Australians should be building Western Australian trains. We
took this policy to the last election. At the last election, members opposite
believed that Western Australians were not up to the job. Yesterday, the Leader
of the Opposition once again outlined that the Liberal Party does not support
local railcar manufacturing. In her speech yesterday, the Leader of the
Opposition said —
� what we will not do is heavily
subsidise industries where the State has no comparative advantage, nor bring
back industries from a bygone era.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : She went on
to say that our investment was unsustainable, that we should not support a failed
manufacturing industry, and that it was a waste of our money.
Mr W.R. Marmion : We'll
see!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : We will see,
alright.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Liberal
Party is turning its back on essential tradespeople in Western Australia. What
other trades are involved in building trains? They are engineering, mechanical
and electrical fitting, and welding. Somehow, the Leader of the Opposition does
not support these tradespeople. She believes that their work is from a bygone
era and that everyone involved in these industries throughout Western Australia
should not be involved in them. According to the Leader of the Opposition,
their work is from a bygone era.
What else did the Leader of the
Opposition say? She said that we had not released the cost of the program. The Leader of the Opposition is wrong. She said that
we had not developed a business case. The Leader of the Opposition is
wrong. She said that the railcar industry was subsidised. The Leader of the
Opposition is wrong. Our railcars are
cheaper than the ones members opposite paid for. The worst and most misleading
statement from the Leader of the Opposition was that our facility was
simply going to fitout trains from Victoria.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : That is absolute
disregard for workers and manufacturing industries in Western Australia. The idea
is that Western Australians should not build their own trains. Leader of the
Opposition, who should build our trains? There is no answer, but she does not
support Western Australians building our own trains. It is an absolute
disgrace.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Leader of
the Opposition talked about industries of a bygone era. She should look around.
All the Liberal Party does is bring in policies from a bygone era! We are out
there creating real jobs and members opposite are talking about air races that
have been cancelled around the world. That is where the Liberal Party is at
today with its performance on the economic front. The Leader of the Opposition
had an opportunity yesterday to prove her economic credentials. From all
reports, she demonstrated out there what she demonstrates in this place every day: she is not across the detail; she is
not across the economics; and she is not across the finances of this state.
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