❓ Question regarding BHP Billiton layoffs at Leinster mine and government response. Premier acknowledges awareness, highlights contractor status of workers, and points to potential redeployment opportunities and future budget announcements.
AnsweredQoN 386Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BHP BILLITON — LAYOFFS AT LEINSTER
I refer to BHP Billiton’s decision today to lay off 240 employees from its mining operations at Leinster. (1) Is the Premier aware of this decision? (2) If so, what time and date was the Premier made aware of this decision? (3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to BHP Billiton’s decision today to lay off 240 employees from its mining operations at Leinster. (1) Is the Premier aware of this decision? (2) If so, what time and date was the Premier made aware of this decision? (3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(1) Is the Premier aware of this decision? (2) If so, what time and date was the Premier made aware of this decision? (3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(2) If so, what time and date was the Premier made aware of this decision? (3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(1) Is the Premier aware of this decision? (2) If so, what time and date was the Premier made aware of this decision? (3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(2) If so, what time and date was the Premier made aware of this decision? (3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(3) What specific steps did the Premier take to prevent the closure and what steps have been taken to support these employees and the community of Leinster, which is reeling from these job losses? (4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(4) Will the Premier now support the opposition’s plan to increase to 50 000 the number of Western Australians undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
I thank the member for the question. (1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
(1)-(4) Yes, I was aware of the mine at Leinster going on to a care and maintenance operation. I was aware yesterday that the announcement was coming and I got the details of it this morning. They are not, as I understand it, BHP employees; they are contractors, which is quite different. Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr M. McGowan : Not all of them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, but employees and contractors are quite different. The member for Rockingham actually got the question wrong. He said they are BHP employees. They are not; they are contractors. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Hopefully, most of those workers will find work with other contractors on other projects. Indeed, only last week the Karara iron ore mine in the mid-west was about ready to go into construction where there will be hundreds of jobs, basically 1 800 jobs. Hopefully, we will find that many of the workers who have lost employment, principally in the nickel industry, are redeployed into the expansions likely to take place in the new mines in the mid-west. I regret and I am concerned about every job loss that is taking place. However, again I repeat that there has been a collapse in nickel prices down to basically one-fifth of what they were. The nickel industry is inherently cyclical—there is nothing new in that—and there are mines closing. Just this morning I was having discussions about a mine in the nickel industry hopefully reopening; that is the nature of the industry. Hopefully, this downturn in commodity prices and the recession insofar as it affects Western Australia basically is starting to bottom out. I have always been relatively sure that most of the bad news will be in the first half of this year. There are some tentative signs, albeit very tentative, that the commodities industry is starting to turn around; however, the recession in North America and Europe in particular will run for some time. Western Australia may be lucky, and the industries that we are dependent on may start to turn around. I am concerned about every job loss. The best thing that we as a state government can do is address the conditions of security of employment. The member for Rockingham raised the issue of apprenticeships and training. I say wait until Thursday when the state budget is presented and more will be said about that. In the meantime, this state government is getting on with the job of bringing on new investment and new development in this state. That is what we are doing.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.