❓ Ms. Winton asks the Premier about the WA government's economic recovery and job creation efforts. The Premier responds by highlighting WA's strong economic performance, low unemployment, and high vaccination rates compared to other states and countries.
AnsweredQoN 793Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY — JOBS
793. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Premier:
On
behalf of the member for Belmont, I would like to acknowledge Barry Main, a volunteer,
who is in the Speaker's gallery today. Welcome to Parliament.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's efforts in driving Western Australia's economic
recovery, which has seen almost 120 000 new
jobs created since the government came to office. Can the Premier update the
house on how this government's
commitment to keeping Western Australia safe is delivering a strong economy
that supports jobs , business and the rest of the country?
793. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Premier:
On
behalf of the member for Belmont, I would like to acknowledge Barry Main, a volunteer,
who is in the Speaker's gallery today. Welcome to Parliament.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's efforts in driving Western Australia's economic
recovery, which has seen almost 120 000 new
jobs created since the government came to office. Can the Premier update the
house on how this government's
commitment to keeping Western Australia safe is delivering a strong economy
that supports jobs , business and the rest of the country?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Wanneroo. Western
Australia continues to be one of the safest and strongest places in not only Australia, but also the entire world. We have
not had the deaths and hospitalisations from COVID-19 that other states
and countries have had; we have not been locked down for months, as falsely
claimed by some east coast commentators and federal Liberal politicians; and
our economy has not suffered because of the measures that we have been put in
place that have protected health, jobs and businesses.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics
recently released its retail spending figures. In the month of September, we saw a record spend of $3.6 billion. In the past 12
months, a record $41.1 billion was spent in retail—that is an annual average growth rate of 10.2 per cent, the strongest growth rate in the country
in retail spending. When we came to government,
the annual average growth rate was 0.6 of one per cent. It is now 10 per cent,
nearly 20 times the growth rate of
that of our predecessors in office. We have seen record spending across nearly
all categories of retail: cafes, restaurants and takeaway, up 18 per cent;
clothing, up 20.5 per cent; and the retail component of furniture is up 22 per cent,
according to the ABS. The commonwealth government's Department of
Education, Skills and Employment has released figures showing that WA not only
has the lowest unemployment rate in the country, but also internet job vacancies have grown by 62.9 per cent in annual
average terms—the strongest growth rate on record . The ABS says
that Western Australian exports have hit a new record of $243.3 billion, an
increase of 35.5 per cent over the course of the last year, and Western Australia
accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the nation's exports, with 11 per cent
of the population.
We
are keen to ensure that our safe transition plan continues this very good set
of economic outcomes as we transition our border arrangements in late
January and early February. Our vaccination rate continues to climb. Currently,
our double-dose vaccination rate for people aged over 12 years is 71 per cent
and the first-dose vaccination rate is around 84 per cent. Despite all the
hiccups with vaccine supply and despite the fact that we got vaccines later
than other states and have not had the COVID
outbreaks that other states have had, vaccination rates in Western Australia are higher than in most countries around the
world. Our vaccination rate is now higher than France, the United Kingdom , the United States, Germany, Greece, Brazil,
Thailand and Hong Kong. In other words, we are getting our citizens vaccinated.
I encourage all people across Western Australia to get vaccinated for their own
safety as soon as possible.
Australia continues to be one of the safest and strongest places in not only Australia, but also the entire world. We have
not had the deaths and hospitalisations from COVID-19 that other states
and countries have had; we have not been locked down for months, as falsely
claimed by some east coast commentators and federal Liberal politicians; and
our economy has not suffered because of the measures that we have been put in
place that have protected health, jobs and businesses.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics
recently released its retail spending figures. In the month of September, we saw a record spend of $3.6 billion. In the past 12
months, a record $41.1 billion was spent in retail—that is an annual average growth rate of 10.2 per cent, the strongest growth rate in the country
in retail spending. When we came to government,
the annual average growth rate was 0.6 of one per cent. It is now 10 per cent,
nearly 20 times the growth rate of
that of our predecessors in office. We have seen record spending across nearly
all categories of retail: cafes, restaurants and takeaway, up 18 per cent;
clothing, up 20.5 per cent; and the retail component of furniture is up 22 per cent,
according to the ABS. The commonwealth government's Department of
Education, Skills and Employment has released figures showing that WA not only
has the lowest unemployment rate in the country, but also internet job vacancies have grown by 62.9 per cent in annual
average terms—the strongest growth rate on record . The ABS says
that Western Australian exports have hit a new record of $243.3 billion, an
increase of 35.5 per cent over the course of the last year, and Western Australia
accounts for nearly 60 per cent of the nation's exports, with 11 per cent
of the population.
We
are keen to ensure that our safe transition plan continues this very good set
of economic outcomes as we transition our border arrangements in late
January and early February. Our vaccination rate continues to climb. Currently,
our double-dose vaccination rate for people aged over 12 years is 71 per cent
and the first-dose vaccination rate is around 84 per cent. Despite all the
hiccups with vaccine supply and despite the fact that we got vaccines later
than other states and have not had the COVID
outbreaks that other states have had, vaccination rates in Western Australia are higher than in most countries around the
world. Our vaccination rate is now higher than France, the United Kingdom , the United States, Germany, Greece, Brazil,
Thailand and Hong Kong. In other words, we are getting our citizens vaccinated.
I encourage all people across Western Australia to get vaccinated for their own
safety as soon as possible.
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