❓ Mr. Baker questions the Minister on government investment in developing WA's defence industry workforce and how Western Australians can benefit from TAFE opportunities in the sector. The Minister outlines investments in training, workforce initiatives, and TAFE programs, highlighting the benefits of the Henderson Defence Precinct.
AnsweredQoN 703Legislative Assembly
Asked
17 October 2024
Member
Portfolio
Minister Assisting the Minister for Training and Workforce Development
QuestionView source ↗
DEFENCE INDUSTRY — HENDERSON DEFENCE PRECINCT
703. Mr G. BAKER to the Minister Assisting the Minister for
Training and Workforce Development:
I would like to congratulate you,
Speaker, on a wonderful career. I had little idea when I was doorknocking for
you in Glendalough in 1994 that this would be where it ended up!
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : You were there
too, Leader!
Mr G. BAKER : I refer to the
decision to build a consolidated defence precinct in Perth's south,
supporting 10 000 new local jobs.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government is investing in the development
and upskilling of WA's defence industry workforce?
(2) Can the
minister inform the house how Western Australians can benefit from the
significant defence opportunities available at our TAFEs?
703. Mr G. BAKER to the Minister Assisting the Minister for
Training and Workforce Development:
I would like to congratulate you,
Speaker, on a wonderful career. I had little idea when I was doorknocking for
you in Glendalough in 1994 that this would be where it ended up!
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : You were there
too, Leader!
Mr G. BAKER : I refer to the
decision to build a consolidated defence precinct in Perth's south,
supporting 10 000 new local jobs.
(1) Can the
minister advise the house how this government is investing in the development
and upskilling of WA's defence industry workforce?
(2) Can the
minister inform the house how Western Australians can benefit from the
significant defence opportunities available at our TAFEs?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question.
I, too, would like to take a moment to acknowledge you, Speaker, and the
immense contribution you have made to our state. Through your hard work you
have truly left a mark on our state, and I thank you personally for your
support and mentorship of me over many years.
(1)–(2) Yesterday's
historic milestone in the Albanese and Cook Labor governments' plan for
Western Australia to be a defence powerhouse will provide historic investment
and unmatched opportunities for our economy, our defence industry and jobs. The
defence precinct will play a pivotal role in submarine and shipbuilding
projects, with new opportunities for blue, white and grey-collar workers.
Generations of Western Australians will benefit from secure jobs and careers in
this sector. As the Premier said, they will be well paid, highly skilled jobs.
Our government has been working tirelessly for years towards this extraordinary
outcome, and I particularly acknowledge the absolute and unwavering persistence
of the Minister for Defence Industry.
That work includes planning to
develop and upskill our defence industry workforce. The aim of our $35 million
investment in defence industry training and workforce initiatives, supported by
our Western Australian defence industry workforce development plan, is to
provide a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the demands of our defence
industry, now and into the future. It includes $8.5 million in funding for
defence employer incentives; funding for veterans to train in high-demand
defence careers, and to help them to
transition from their Australian Defence Force careers; defence internship and
graduate scholarship programs; and the Women in Defence Industry
Scholarship program. This will include promoting the trade, paraprofessional
and professional opportunities in the sector to our school, TAFE and university
students.
South
Metropolitan TAFE is at the heart of this work and is the best naval technology
training organisation in the nation. We established the Western Australian
Defence Industry Workforce Office, which oversees our workforce development
plan. That office and our universities will be backed to provide more state
government-funded training programs to prepare the defence industry skilled
workforce of the future. We also launched a new
website, theotherforce.wa.gov.au, which showcases the rewarding careers and
supports available and profiles 21 of the many in-demand jobs needed by
the defence industry. As the Premier said yesterday, the ripple effect on other
industries of the defence precinct at Henderson, including $8 billion to expand HMAS Stirling , cannot be
overstated. It will significantly diversify our economy and workforce.
Our Labor government understands the
importance of investing in training and workforce development in the jobs
needed today, tomorrow and decades into the future. We back vocational
training. We invest in it, in free and
low-fee courses and in new and upgraded infrastructure across our TAFE
colleges, with our record $250 million investment. That is in such stark
contrast to the record of the previous Liberal–National
government. It did not invest in and it did not support vocational training,
and it increased fees. Some TAFE fees went up fivefold, and apprentice
and trainee commitments fell by nearly 10 500. The number of people in training
fell by more than 10 000. It is not a stretch to say that members opposite
undermined vocational training and the life-changing benefits it provides to
working people. They ripped the heart out of our TAFEs.
The
Cook government will ensure that Western Australians will continue to have the
training opportunities necessary to access the multigenerational
benefits of Western Australia becoming home to the biggest naval maintenance
hub in the Southern Hemisphere.
The SPEAKER : The member for
Cottesloe, with the last question.
I, too, would like to take a moment to acknowledge you, Speaker, and the
immense contribution you have made to our state. Through your hard work you
have truly left a mark on our state, and I thank you personally for your
support and mentorship of me over many years.
(1)–(2) Yesterday's
historic milestone in the Albanese and Cook Labor governments' plan for
Western Australia to be a defence powerhouse will provide historic investment
and unmatched opportunities for our economy, our defence industry and jobs. The
defence precinct will play a pivotal role in submarine and shipbuilding
projects, with new opportunities for blue, white and grey-collar workers.
Generations of Western Australians will benefit from secure jobs and careers in
this sector. As the Premier said, they will be well paid, highly skilled jobs.
Our government has been working tirelessly for years towards this extraordinary
outcome, and I particularly acknowledge the absolute and unwavering persistence
of the Minister for Defence Industry.
That work includes planning to
develop and upskill our defence industry workforce. The aim of our $35 million
investment in defence industry training and workforce initiatives, supported by
our Western Australian defence industry workforce development plan, is to
provide a pipeline of skilled workers to meet the demands of our defence
industry, now and into the future. It includes $8.5 million in funding for
defence employer incentives; funding for veterans to train in high-demand
defence careers, and to help them to
transition from their Australian Defence Force careers; defence internship and
graduate scholarship programs; and the Women in Defence Industry
Scholarship program. This will include promoting the trade, paraprofessional
and professional opportunities in the sector to our school, TAFE and university
students.
South
Metropolitan TAFE is at the heart of this work and is the best naval technology
training organisation in the nation. We established the Western Australian
Defence Industry Workforce Office, which oversees our workforce development
plan. That office and our universities will be backed to provide more state
government-funded training programs to prepare the defence industry skilled
workforce of the future. We also launched a new
website, theotherforce.wa.gov.au, which showcases the rewarding careers and
supports available and profiles 21 of the many in-demand jobs needed by
the defence industry. As the Premier said yesterday, the ripple effect on other
industries of the defence precinct at Henderson, including $8 billion to expand HMAS Stirling , cannot be
overstated. It will significantly diversify our economy and workforce.
Our Labor government understands the
importance of investing in training and workforce development in the jobs
needed today, tomorrow and decades into the future. We back vocational
training. We invest in it, in free and
low-fee courses and in new and upgraded infrastructure across our TAFE
colleges, with our record $250 million investment. That is in such stark
contrast to the record of the previous Liberal–National
government. It did not invest in and it did not support vocational training,
and it increased fees. Some TAFE fees went up fivefold, and apprentice
and trainee commitments fell by nearly 10 500. The number of people in training
fell by more than 10 000. It is not a stretch to say that members opposite
undermined vocational training and the life-changing benefits it provides to
working people. They ripped the heart out of our TAFEs.
The
Cook government will ensure that Western Australians will continue to have the
training opportunities necessary to access the multigenerational
benefits of Western Australia becoming home to the biggest naval maintenance
hub in the Southern Hemisphere.
The SPEAKER : The member for
Cottesloe, with the last question.
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.