❓ Mr Michel asks about ensuring small businesses benefit from road investments. Ms Saffioti responds by highlighting government initiatives supporting local and Aboriginal businesses in road projects, while also criticising the opposition's stance and questioning a member's small business credentials.
AnsweredQoN 758Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROADS INVESTMENT — SMALL BUSINESS
758. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's massive investment in
roads and road maintenance across the whole of WA.
Several members interjected.
Mr K.J.J. MICHEL : You did nothing about it, mate; do
not laugh. You did nothing; do not laugh about it!
Several members interjected.
Mr K.J.J. MICHEL : Yes; absolutely.
The SPEAKER : Start again, member for Pilbara.
Mr K.J.J. MICHEL : I refer to the government's
massive investment in roads and road maintenance across the whole of WA. What
is she and Main Roads doing to ensure small businesses can see the benefit of
the McGowan Labor government's investment in our roads and networks?
758. Mr K.J.J. MICHEL to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's massive investment in
roads and road maintenance across the whole of WA.
Several members interjected.
Mr K.J.J. MICHEL : You did nothing about it, mate; do
not laugh. You did nothing; do not laugh about it!
Several members interjected.
Mr K.J.J. MICHEL : Yes; absolutely.
The SPEAKER : Start again, member for Pilbara.
Mr K.J.J. MICHEL : I refer to the government's
massive investment in roads and road maintenance across the whole of WA. What
is she and Main Roads doing to ensure small businesses can see the benefit of
the McGowan Labor government's investment in our roads and networks?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I acknowledge also the
member's role as a small business person from regional WA and his
advocacy for small business in regional WA. Again, as was demonstrated —
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : — as the member stood up to
ask that question, the opposition, in particular the National Party, still cannot handle that this member won his
seat. It is a patronising, awful attitude the National Party continues to take.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call you
to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Patronising comments were made by the
National Party, even this morning, by the deputy leader. The member for Pilbara
is someone who went to the Pilbara and made his life in the Pilbara, who built
a small business in the Pilbara —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! It is not a shouting match.
Everyone was talking after I got on my feet. I could just about throw you all
out. We have young people of the future in the chamber today who are sitting
here watching so-called adults behave like that.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The National Party does not like the
fact that the member for Pilbara wants jobs in the Pilbara. That is what he is
advocating—jobs in Karratha, jobs in Port Hedland and jobs in the
Pilbara. We stand with the member for Pilbara in supporting local jobs and
local businesses in regional WA. As part of that, we will continue the work
Main Roads is doing across WA supporting local businesses, in particular
Aboriginal employment. A number of the new maintenance contracts being rolled
out have a strong Aboriginal participation and a targeted effort to support
local businesses. So far, we have seen some good results but we want to
continue to work with local businesses across the state to get better outcomes.
As we saw, the Margaret River perimeter road project involves
21 local companies, 20 local traineeships and 120
local workers. The Wanneroo Road project supports local contractors and local
businesses. The Great Northern Highway
project, where we have the ''Maggie's Jump Up'' project,
involves 50 per cent local Aboriginal employment. New maintenance
contracts have incentives to support local business, particularly the one in
the Kimberley—the direct employment model—which is all about
Main Roads engaging with local businesses and making
sure the work goes to local businesses. There are good results already. On the
Broome–Cape Leveque Road, again, 36 per cent contracts are being
used from local Aboriginal businesses. Work is underway to support local, small
businesses in Western Australia because, unlike the Liberal and National
Parties, the Labor Party comprises people who have been successful in small
business, have come to Parliament and brought their experience and promote —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Darling
Range, I let you go three times. I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I grew up in
a family small business in Darling Range, and I remember that member when she
was running for Mayor of Kalamunda promoting her small business credentials in
Kalamunda. I know a lot of people in Kalamunda. We are still not sure where
that small business was in Kalamunda. We are still trying to find it. We are
still trying to find the successful small business person from Kalamunda. I know
a lot of those businesspeople and they cannot remember her. WA Labor supports
small business and supports WA.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood, for about five minutes ago—I have not had a chance
to get back to you—I call you to order for interjecting. I never got a chance
to do it.
member's role as a small business person from regional WA and his
advocacy for small business in regional WA. Again, as was demonstrated —
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Warren–Blackwood!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : — as the member stood up to
ask that question, the opposition, in particular the National Party, still cannot handle that this member won his
seat. It is a patronising, awful attitude the National Party continues to take.
Mr V.A. Catania interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for North West Central, I call you
to order for the second time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Patronising comments were made by the
National Party, even this morning, by the deputy leader. The member for Pilbara
is someone who went to the Pilbara and made his life in the Pilbara, who built
a small business in the Pilbara —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! It is not a shouting match.
Everyone was talking after I got on my feet. I could just about throw you all
out. We have young people of the future in the chamber today who are sitting
here watching so-called adults behave like that.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The National Party does not like the
fact that the member for Pilbara wants jobs in the Pilbara. That is what he is
advocating—jobs in Karratha, jobs in Port Hedland and jobs in the
Pilbara. We stand with the member for Pilbara in supporting local jobs and
local businesses in regional WA. As part of that, we will continue the work
Main Roads is doing across WA supporting local businesses, in particular
Aboriginal employment. A number of the new maintenance contracts being rolled
out have a strong Aboriginal participation and a targeted effort to support
local businesses. So far, we have seen some good results but we want to
continue to work with local businesses across the state to get better outcomes.
As we saw, the Margaret River perimeter road project involves
21 local companies, 20 local traineeships and 120
local workers. The Wanneroo Road project supports local contractors and local
businesses. The Great Northern Highway
project, where we have the ''Maggie's Jump Up'' project,
involves 50 per cent local Aboriginal employment. New maintenance
contracts have incentives to support local business, particularly the one in
the Kimberley—the direct employment model—which is all about
Main Roads engaging with local businesses and making
sure the work goes to local businesses. There are good results already. On the
Broome–Cape Leveque Road, again, 36 per cent contracts are being
used from local Aboriginal businesses. Work is underway to support local, small
businesses in Western Australia because, unlike the Liberal and National
Parties, the Labor Party comprises people who have been successful in small
business, have come to Parliament and brought their experience and promote —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Darling
Range, I let you go three times. I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : I grew up in
a family small business in Darling Range, and I remember that member when she
was running for Mayor of Kalamunda promoting her small business credentials in
Kalamunda. I know a lot of people in Kalamunda. We are still not sure where
that small business was in Kalamunda. We are still trying to find it. We are
still trying to find the successful small business person from Kalamunda. I know
a lot of those businesspeople and they cannot remember her. WA Labor supports
small business and supports WA.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood, for about five minutes ago—I have not had a chance
to get back to you—I call you to order for interjecting. I never got a chance
to do it.
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