❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding the impact of Perth's regional status on the tourism and education sectors. The Premier defends the government's actions, highlighting increased tertiary education enrolments and initiatives to support international students.
AnsweredQoN 968Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MIGRATION — PERTH
— REGIONAL STATUS
968. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Before I ask my question of the
Premier, I acknowledge in the Speaker's gallery a constituent from Lake
Gwelup Primary School, Matilda Valentino, and the other students who are here
with the primary extension and challenge program.
On behalf of the Liberal opposition I would also like to wish our very best to
all our year 12 students who start their Western Australian Certificate of
Education exams this week, including my son, and I hope he does well.
I
refer to the government's policy failure on the regional status of
Perth for migration purposes. Will the Premier now apologise to the
tourism and education sectors for the damage his ill-conceived policy has had
on the Western Australian economy?
— REGIONAL STATUS
968. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Before I ask my question of the
Premier, I acknowledge in the Speaker's gallery a constituent from Lake
Gwelup Primary School, Matilda Valentino, and the other students who are here
with the primary extension and challenge program.
On behalf of the Liberal opposition I would also like to wish our very best to
all our year 12 students who start their Western Australian Certificate of
Education exams this week, including my son, and I hope he does well.
I
refer to the government's policy failure on the regional status of
Perth for migration purposes. Will the Premier now apologise to the
tourism and education sectors for the damage his ill-conceived policy has had
on the Western Australian economy?
AnswerView source ↗
I was pleased on Saturday, along
with Senator Mathias Cormann, to make some announcements that had been jointly worked out between the state and federal
governments in relation to international students. We think this will benefit the international student market in Western Australia. The issues are
complex, as everyone involved in this area knows, but I think we have reached a
happy outcome that will allow for a greater number of international students to come to Western Australia to study
here and, hopefully, to bring their families and friends here on visits to create jobs in Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : When we see
an issue, we fix it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We have worked
cooperatively with the international education sector to create more jobs. I want to outline a couple of facts members might
not be aware of. Since this government came to office, enrolments in
tertiary education have climbed by 30 per cent —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Members
opposite do not understand. Enrolments in tertiary education have climbed by 30
per cent, from —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear the answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Listen to what
I am saying. I will fill members opposite in; they do not understand.
The enrolments have climbed by 30 per
cent, from 18 827 to 24 515. Commencements are up by 40 per cent, from a bit
over 7 000 to more than 10 000 now. During the term of the previous government,
enrolments increased by seven per cent across eight years, and commencements in
tertiary education saw zero growth. Numbers across all sectors—tertiary,
school, vocational education and training,� English Language Intensive Courses
for Overseas Students and non-award sectors—continue to grow, and the
current growth in enrolments is 4.4 per cent, while current growth in
commencements is 8.2 per cent. There has been growth in commencements and
enrolments.
The
issue is that other states come off a much higher base. Therefore, our numbers,
proportionately, have not looked as good compared with those in other
states.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We want to
ensure that we give the industry the best opportunity to succeed that we can.
There has been growth in commencements and enrolments, far greater than under
the former government, which did not even know that the industry existed. We
have appointed Rod Jones, the person who established Navitas, to head up
StudyPerth. We have actually given StudyPerth some real budget and we have
brought the universities and StudyPerth
together to promote Western Australia around the world. We have actually
launched an international education strategy that the whole sector can
work together towards to achieve better outcomes, and under this government we
have seen an increase in enrolments and commencements that is very, very large.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, you did not even ask the question!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member for
Bateman is undermining his leader again.
We have seen a large increase in
commencements and enrolments, but what —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I know you like to talk, but not when someone else is. I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He is
infuriating because he is so thick.
I
have explained to the house the increase in enrolments and commencements that
are occurring in Western Australia.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have
explained that to the house, but I will explain again. Sydney, Melbourne and
Brisbane come off a much higher base, so
when we compare the overall percentage of the national market, any increase
there obviously drives our percentage down. That is the way it works. We
want to give the sector the best opportunity to succeed, which is why I announced
what I did with Senator Cormann on Saturday.
with Senator Mathias Cormann, to make some announcements that had been jointly worked out between the state and federal
governments in relation to international students. We think this will benefit the international student market in Western Australia. The issues are
complex, as everyone involved in this area knows, but I think we have reached a
happy outcome that will allow for a greater number of international students to come to Western Australia to study
here and, hopefully, to bring their families and friends here on visits to create jobs in Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : When we see
an issue, we fix it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We have worked
cooperatively with the international education sector to create more jobs. I want to outline a couple of facts members might
not be aware of. Since this government came to office, enrolments in
tertiary education have climbed by 30 per cent —
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Members
opposite do not understand. Enrolments in tertiary education have climbed by 30
per cent, from —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear the answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Listen to what
I am saying. I will fill members opposite in; they do not understand.
The enrolments have climbed by 30 per
cent, from 18 827 to 24 515. Commencements are up by 40 per cent, from a bit
over 7 000 to more than 10 000 now. During the term of the previous government,
enrolments increased by seven per cent across eight years, and commencements in
tertiary education saw zero growth. Numbers across all sectors—tertiary,
school, vocational education and training,� English Language Intensive Courses
for Overseas Students and non-award sectors—continue to grow, and the
current growth in enrolments is 4.4 per cent, while current growth in
commencements is 8.2 per cent. There has been growth in commencements and
enrolments.
The
issue is that other states come off a much higher base. Therefore, our numbers,
proportionately, have not looked as good compared with those in other
states.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We want to
ensure that we give the industry the best opportunity to succeed that we can.
There has been growth in commencements and enrolments, far greater than under
the former government, which did not even know that the industry existed. We
have appointed Rod Jones, the person who established Navitas, to head up
StudyPerth. We have actually given StudyPerth some real budget and we have
brought the universities and StudyPerth
together to promote Western Australia around the world. We have actually
launched an international education strategy that the whole sector can
work together towards to achieve better outcomes, and under this government we
have seen an increase in enrolments and commencements that is very, very large.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, you did not even ask the question!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member for
Bateman is undermining his leader again.
We have seen a large increase in
commencements and enrolments, but what —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I know you like to talk, but not when someone else is. I call you to
order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He is
infuriating because he is so thick.
I
have explained to the house the increase in enrolments and commencements that
are occurring in Western Australia.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have
explained that to the house, but I will explain again. Sydney, Melbourne and
Brisbane come off a much higher base, so
when we compare the overall percentage of the national market, any increase
there obviously drives our percentage down. That is the way it works. We
want to give the sector the best opportunity to succeed, which is why I announced
what I did with Senator Cormann on Saturday.
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