❓ Mr. Norberger asks the Treasurer for an update on the Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force data. The Treasurer responds with positive statistics on WA's unemployment rate, job creation, and economic diversification efforts, while criticising the opposition's negativity.
AnsweredQoN 388Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS — LABOUR
FORCE DATA
388. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Treasurer:
Can the Treasurer please update the house on the Australian Bureau of
Statistics labour force data released today and what the government is doing to
continue to broaden the state's economy?
FORCE DATA
388. Mr J. NORBERGER to the Treasurer:
Can the Treasurer please update the house on the Australian Bureau of
Statistics labour force data released today and what the government is doing to
continue to broaden the state's economy?
AnswerView source ↗
I would like to thank the member for the question; at least he is
really interested in the issue, rather than in making it worse. The labour
force data did come out, as it generally does at this time of the month. As I indicated
in response to an earlier question, the unemployment rate on an annual basis is
six per cent in Western Australia, which is the second lowest rate of any
state. The advice from Treasury is that we forecast for 2015–16 an unemployment
rate of about 6.25 per cent, and we are confident it will come in below that. I
might add also that we have by far the highest participation rate in proportion
to the population looking for jobs in the job market of any state. Over the
last few years, since we came into government, we have been the major source of
job creation in this nation, with over 180 000 jobs created in Western Australia
since 2008. Fifty per cent of the total number of jobs created in Australia
were in Western Australia during that period—50 per cent! Members
opposite see that as a negative. Now we are going through a shift from
investment to production. It has been going on for some time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We have been saying this for two to three
years; members opposite are a bit slow. We have also invested heavily in
diversifying the economy, and it is paying off. There have been 100 000
additional international tourists over the last three years. There has been a 30
per cent increase in agricultural exports. We are seeing a large growth in
start-ups, in innovation, particularly from engineers. By the way, of all the
major cities in the world, we have the third highest incidence of engineers.
Those engineers came over here to participate in the investment boom, and when
the jobs finished there, they started coming out with bright ideas for
introducing new start-ups in this state. That is why we have invested $20 million
over the next four years in innovation to make sure those innovative engineers
stay here, innovate here and create jobs. We are also investing heavily in
agriculture, not only in irrigated agriculture but also across the board. Of
course, we have invested substantially—$47 million—in tourism.
We knew—this is very important—that as we moved from an
investment to a production phase there would be a reduction in the private
sector construction workforce. Interestingly, if members look at the data,
construction jobs are growing. Why? Because of our asset investment program. We
have continued, despite the difficult revenue times, a major expansion in
investment in a whole raft of areas, from hospitals to stadiums to urban
development. Since 2008 that has created over 91 000 jobs and is a major source
of job growth in the construction sector. I have sat here all this week
listening to members opposite bag the stadium.
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Elizabeth Quay has attracted over 1.8 million
people to it since it opened in January—1.8 million people have come
and visited Elizabeth Quay. It has attracted them to the city, added vibrancy
to the city and helped tourism. All members opposite do for the hospitals—the
new children's hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital—is bag them.
They complain about this, but this has created thousands of jobs in this state
and actually created the infrastructure of the future. That is why we have the
second lowest unemployment rate in the nation despite the adjustments we have.
What does the Leader of the Opposition think of that? It is all negative.
really interested in the issue, rather than in making it worse. The labour
force data did come out, as it generally does at this time of the month. As I indicated
in response to an earlier question, the unemployment rate on an annual basis is
six per cent in Western Australia, which is the second lowest rate of any
state. The advice from Treasury is that we forecast for 2015–16 an unemployment
rate of about 6.25 per cent, and we are confident it will come in below that. I
might add also that we have by far the highest participation rate in proportion
to the population looking for jobs in the job market of any state. Over the
last few years, since we came into government, we have been the major source of
job creation in this nation, with over 180 000 jobs created in Western Australia
since 2008. Fifty per cent of the total number of jobs created in Australia
were in Western Australia during that period—50 per cent! Members
opposite see that as a negative. Now we are going through a shift from
investment to production. It has been going on for some time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We have been saying this for two to three
years; members opposite are a bit slow. We have also invested heavily in
diversifying the economy, and it is paying off. There have been 100 000
additional international tourists over the last three years. There has been a 30
per cent increase in agricultural exports. We are seeing a large growth in
start-ups, in innovation, particularly from engineers. By the way, of all the
major cities in the world, we have the third highest incidence of engineers.
Those engineers came over here to participate in the investment boom, and when
the jobs finished there, they started coming out with bright ideas for
introducing new start-ups in this state. That is why we have invested $20 million
over the next four years in innovation to make sure those innovative engineers
stay here, innovate here and create jobs. We are also investing heavily in
agriculture, not only in irrigated agriculture but also across the board. Of
course, we have invested substantially—$47 million—in tourism.
We knew—this is very important—that as we moved from an
investment to a production phase there would be a reduction in the private
sector construction workforce. Interestingly, if members look at the data,
construction jobs are growing. Why? Because of our asset investment program. We
have continued, despite the difficult revenue times, a major expansion in
investment in a whole raft of areas, from hospitals to stadiums to urban
development. Since 2008 that has created over 91 000 jobs and is a major source
of job growth in the construction sector. I have sat here all this week
listening to members opposite bag the stadium.
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Elizabeth Quay has attracted over 1.8 million
people to it since it opened in January—1.8 million people have come
and visited Elizabeth Quay. It has attracted them to the city, added vibrancy
to the city and helped tourism. All members opposite do for the hospitals—the
new children's hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital—is bag them.
They complain about this, but this has created thousands of jobs in this state
and actually created the infrastructure of the future. That is why we have the
second lowest unemployment rate in the nation despite the adjustments we have.
What does the Leader of the Opposition think of that? It is all negative.
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.