❓ The Minister for Transport details the government's progress in bringing road maintenance jobs back in-house at Main Roads, highlighting the creation of 490 permanent regional jobs and the positive impact on local economies. The Minister also criticises the previous Liberal-National government's outsourcing of these jobs.
AnsweredQoN 636Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MAIN ROADS — MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS
636. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to bring outsourced services and jobs back into
the public sector.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the work that
is underway to end the outsourcing of road maintenance and bring jobs
back in-house at Main Roads?
(2) Can the minister outline how this decision will
support the local economies of regional Western Australia?
636. Ms E.J. KELSBIE to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to bring outsourced services and jobs back into
the public sector.
(1) Can the minister update the house on the work that
is underway to end the outsourcing of road maintenance and bring jobs
back in-house at Main Roads?
(2) Can the minister outline how this decision will
support the local economies of regional Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) The
house will be happy to know that I went out to Northam this morning, which—again,
to rehash my joke—is the member for
Mandurah's home town. As the Premier said, he went into the school
looking for the member for Mandurah's
name on the dux board, but it was not there; rather, there was ''Mr Congeniality, David Templeman''! I went out to Northam because, of course, one of the
other things that we are doing in regional WA is bringing back road maintenance
jobs to regional WA. Do members remember which nasty government cut all those
jobs from regional WA? Members would be correct in saying it was a Liberal–National
government that outsourced and contracted out road maintenance from regional
WA. In one fell swoop, it cut 700 jobs from regional WA. The permanent
workforce across Western Australia went from more than 2 000 to less than 1 000.
Mr D.J. Kelly : It did the
same with the Water Corp as well.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It did the same
with the Water Corp. Of course, these are the parties that privatised Westrail
freight and had planned, and were ready, to sell Fremantle port and Western
Power. They did massive wholesale privatisation in regional WA. They did all
this privatisation and now they come in here and ask about road quality and
potholes. We have made the decision to bring it all back to Main Roads; there
will be 490 permanent jobs in regional WA
alone. Today, the first tranche was delivered, with 48 workers in Northam all wearing
their brand new Main Roads outfits. They are all very, very proud to be
back working for Main Roads. Three guys, Graham, Steve and Stewart, worked for
Main Roads 23 years ago and now they are back at Main Roads. I talked with
another person about the benefits for the
regions of having Main Roads employees, and he said, ''What it means is
that people make choices to move their families out to the regions.''
This guy lives in Toodyay and he said, ''This is going to make it much easier for people to move their
families because it's a permanent job in a regional town'', so
it will b e supporting local
communities. It will also give a career path for young people. We are also
delivering new programs to encourage young regional Western Australians
to stay and work for Main Roads. I met three Aboriginal workers out there and,
again, they are very, very proud to be wearing the Main Roads uniform and
delivering projects for Main Roads. This is another example of real change for
regional Western Australia. There are no bumper stickers—just real change and real reform that is delivering
benefits for not only communities and workers, but also the overall road network. It is a very, very proud
day. I made the trip out to Northam. It was a very exciting morning.
Mr D.A. Templeman : You should've
taken me; I would've come.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I was going
to say some negatives, but I will not. It was a positive morning and I did not
want to ruin it!
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Sorry, that
was harsh—unnecessarily harsh for Mr Congeniality! It was a great day
and a very proud day, and very exciting for the town.
house will be happy to know that I went out to Northam this morning, which—again,
to rehash my joke—is the member for
Mandurah's home town. As the Premier said, he went into the school
looking for the member for Mandurah's
name on the dux board, but it was not there; rather, there was ''Mr Congeniality, David Templeman''! I went out to Northam because, of course, one of the
other things that we are doing in regional WA is bringing back road maintenance
jobs to regional WA. Do members remember which nasty government cut all those
jobs from regional WA? Members would be correct in saying it was a Liberal–National
government that outsourced and contracted out road maintenance from regional
WA. In one fell swoop, it cut 700 jobs from regional WA. The permanent
workforce across Western Australia went from more than 2 000 to less than 1 000.
Mr D.J. Kelly : It did the
same with the Water Corp as well.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It did the same
with the Water Corp. Of course, these are the parties that privatised Westrail
freight and had planned, and were ready, to sell Fremantle port and Western
Power. They did massive wholesale privatisation in regional WA. They did all
this privatisation and now they come in here and ask about road quality and
potholes. We have made the decision to bring it all back to Main Roads; there
will be 490 permanent jobs in regional WA
alone. Today, the first tranche was delivered, with 48 workers in Northam all wearing
their brand new Main Roads outfits. They are all very, very proud to be
back working for Main Roads. Three guys, Graham, Steve and Stewart, worked for
Main Roads 23 years ago and now they are back at Main Roads. I talked with
another person about the benefits for the
regions of having Main Roads employees, and he said, ''What it means is
that people make choices to move their families out to the regions.''
This guy lives in Toodyay and he said, ''This is going to make it much easier for people to move their
families because it's a permanent job in a regional town'', so
it will b e supporting local
communities. It will also give a career path for young people. We are also
delivering new programs to encourage young regional Western Australians
to stay and work for Main Roads. I met three Aboriginal workers out there and,
again, they are very, very proud to be wearing the Main Roads uniform and
delivering projects for Main Roads. This is another example of real change for
regional Western Australia. There are no bumper stickers—just real change and real reform that is delivering
benefits for not only communities and workers, but also the overall road network. It is a very, very proud
day. I made the trip out to Northam. It was a very exciting morning.
Mr D.A. Templeman : You should've
taken me; I would've come.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I was going
to say some negatives, but I will not. It was a positive morning and I did not
want to ruin it!
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Sorry, that
was harsh—unnecessarily harsh for Mr Congeniality! It was a great day
and a very proud day, and very exciting for the town.
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