❓ Ms. Hamilton asks about the Cook Labor government's efforts to diversify the WA economy through investment in local manufacturing. Ms. Sanderson responds by highlighting the government's 'Made in WA' agenda, criticising the Liberal Party's stance on local manufacturing and job creation.
AnsweredQoN 42Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
State economy—Diversification42.Ms Emily Hamiltonto
theMinister for Manufacturing:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy so
that it remains the strongest in the nation. Can the minister advise the house
how the government is growing the economy and creating quality jobs by
investing in local manufacturing?
theMinister for Manufacturing:I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy so
that it remains the strongest in the nation. Can the minister advise the house
how the government is growing the economy and creating quality jobs by
investing in local manufacturing?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 February 2026
Response time
0 days
Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson replied:I thank the member
for Joondalup for her question. This government is very proud of our Made in WA
agenda and our record. We are unashamedly boosting local jobs and local
manufacturing capability. We are making more things here. It was this
government that passed the Western Australian Jobs Act when we were elected to
government in 2017. That is why we have brought rail manufacturing back to WA
after 27 years and why electric buses and ferries will be made in WA. It is why
we are backing green iron, green steel and new manufacturing industries that
will create secure and skilled jobs that support families. Ultimately, these
are secure and skilled jobs that will support families.Housing is the same
story. Through the Housing Innovation Fund and the advanced manufacturing
facility, we are backing advanced manufacturing and modern construction to
build homes faster. We are also laying the foundations for future jobs that
will see us through the energy transition—poles and wires, batteries and
wind manufacturing made in WA. I have issued a direction to energy government
trading enterprises to support local suppliers and give local suppliers a
genuine chance at tendering and winning that work. We want to give local
companies a chance to win, and we value sovereign capability and supply chain
security, and that is backing local jobs. That is our approach, and the
contrast is very clear.It is very clear
that the Liberal Party hates Made in WA. This morning, we heard the shadow Treasurer.
She could not have been more disparaging about Made in WA. When the shadow Treasurer
trashes Made in WA, she trashes local businesses and local jobs. Who does she
think makes the things for Made in WA? It is Western Australians, and it is
Western Australian jobs that she is trashing. We know that the Liberal Party
members' record is clear. They hate local manufacturing. They hate TAFE. They
increased TAFE fees by 500% when they were in government. In 2017, the
Matagarup Bridge was found languishing at a site in Malaysia. Work that could
have been done in Western Australia was sent offshore, and it went over budget
and over time. It was stuck! A local company and this government rescued that
project. Local WA workers—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Leader of the Opposition! Carry
on, minister.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Member for Landsdale! Leader of
the Opposition, I am calling you for the first time.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Leader of the Opposition!
Attorney General, I am standing. Leader of the Opposition, I am calling you for
the second time. Attorney General, I am calling you for the first time.Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson:The Liberal government sent it
offshore and this government rescued it. A local company and local workers
built and installed that bridge with great pride. I have to say it was done with
great pride. The Liberal Party trashes local content. They call manufacturing a
bygone industry. Members just have to listen to what the member for Cottesloe was
saying this morning when she claimed that somehow our investment in
manufacturing railcars, ferries, green iron and renewable transmission is
holding back WA. Somehow growing skilled Western Australian jobs is holding
back the community. What do Liberal members think is actually advancing the
community if they think that is holding it back? This opposition is anti–WA
jobs, anti-progress and anti–WA businesses. This government has a proud
record of supporting Western Australian businesses and Western Australian jobs.The Speaker:For the Leader of the Opposition's
benefit, before I give the member for Roe the call, I called you for the second
time, because the first time you were arguing with the Treasurer. You did not
hear me call you and then you continued on with the Attorney General, which is
why you got two calls and the Attorney General got one. Member for Roe.
State economy—Diversification
for Joondalup for her question. This government is very proud of our Made in WA
agenda and our record. We are unashamedly boosting local jobs and local
manufacturing capability. We are making more things here. It was this
government that passed the Western Australian Jobs Act when we were elected to
government in 2017. That is why we have brought rail manufacturing back to WA
after 27 years and why electric buses and ferries will be made in WA. It is why
we are backing green iron, green steel and new manufacturing industries that
will create secure and skilled jobs that support families. Ultimately, these
are secure and skilled jobs that will support families.Housing is the same
story. Through the Housing Innovation Fund and the advanced manufacturing
facility, we are backing advanced manufacturing and modern construction to
build homes faster. We are also laying the foundations for future jobs that
will see us through the energy transition—poles and wires, batteries and
wind manufacturing made in WA. I have issued a direction to energy government
trading enterprises to support local suppliers and give local suppliers a
genuine chance at tendering and winning that work. We want to give local
companies a chance to win, and we value sovereign capability and supply chain
security, and that is backing local jobs. That is our approach, and the
contrast is very clear.It is very clear
that the Liberal Party hates Made in WA. This morning, we heard the shadow Treasurer.
She could not have been more disparaging about Made in WA. When the shadow Treasurer
trashes Made in WA, she trashes local businesses and local jobs. Who does she
think makes the things for Made in WA? It is Western Australians, and it is
Western Australian jobs that she is trashing. We know that the Liberal Party
members' record is clear. They hate local manufacturing. They hate TAFE. They
increased TAFE fees by 500% when they were in government. In 2017, the
Matagarup Bridge was found languishing at a site in Malaysia. Work that could
have been done in Western Australia was sent offshore, and it went over budget
and over time. It was stuck! A local company and this government rescued that
project. Local WA workers—Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Leader of the Opposition! Carry
on, minister.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Member for Landsdale! Leader of
the Opposition, I am calling you for the first time.Several members
interjected.The Speaker:Members! Leader of the Opposition!
Attorney General, I am standing. Leader of the Opposition, I am calling you for
the second time. Attorney General, I am calling you for the first time.Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson:The Liberal government sent it
offshore and this government rescued it. A local company and local workers
built and installed that bridge with great pride. I have to say it was done with
great pride. The Liberal Party trashes local content. They call manufacturing a
bygone industry. Members just have to listen to what the member for Cottesloe was
saying this morning when she claimed that somehow our investment in
manufacturing railcars, ferries, green iron and renewable transmission is
holding back WA. Somehow growing skilled Western Australian jobs is holding
back the community. What do Liberal members think is actually advancing the
community if they think that is holding it back? This opposition is anti–WA
jobs, anti-progress and anti–WA businesses. This government has a proud
record of supporting Western Australian businesses and Western Australian jobs.The Speaker:For the Leader of the Opposition's
benefit, before I give the member for Roe the call, I called you for the second
time, because the first time you were arguing with the Treasurer. You did not
hear me call you and then you continued on with the Attorney General, which is
why you got two calls and the Attorney General got one. Member for Roe.
State economy—Diversification
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