❓ Ms Kent asks the Premier about the Cook Labor government's management of jobs and the economy, seeking an outline of how it leads the nation and a comparison to the Liberals and Nationals' record. The Premier responds positively, citing CommSec reports and highlighting key economic indicators.
AnsweredQoN 44Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
State economy—Jobs
44 . Ms Ali Kent to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's efforts to maximise
Western Australian successes.
(1) Can the Premier outline to the house how this government's
management of jobs and the economy is leading the nation?
(2) Can the Premier advise the house how this
government's record compares with the record of the Liberals and Nationals?
44 . Ms Ali Kent to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's efforts to maximise
Western Australian successes.
(1) Can the Premier outline to the house how this government's
management of jobs and the economy is leading the nation?
(2) Can the Premier advise the house how this
government's record compares with the record of the Liberals and Nationals?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) As they say, winners are grinners,
and Western Australia is certainly winning. For the third consecutive quarter, CommSec
has named our economy the best in the nation. In fact, upon release of
yesterday's State of the States report, CommSec
said:
Western Australia has cemented
its position as Australia's top economic performer.
Like all good hat-tricks, this
special achievement is replete with an impressive highlights reel, including retail
spending being the best in the country and 11.5% better than the decade average;
unemployment being the lowest of all states at just 3.5% in March; and WA being
the nation's strongest home builder, with commencements growing to 10.4% above the
10-year average. It is important to know that apart from Western Australia and
South Australia, every other state is building fewer homes than their 10-year
average. Let me be clear on that: every state other than Western Australia and
South Australia is building fewer homes than their 10-year average. Despite the
difficulties associated with building and construction, we are steaming ahead.
Our economy and relative
affordability have also propelled our population to be the fastest growing in
the nation. Importantly, that has also sustained growth in business investment.
WA is rising up the ladder. These positive economic indicators are what led
CommSec to place our state first for economic momentum again and again and
again—three times, Mr Speaker. This affirms that WA is on the right
track. We remain the engine room of the nation's economy despite the
global headwinds. This is what you call resilience.
While this success is noted and
celebrated, we recognise that WA is at the beginning of a much bigger journey.
We recognise that the potential of our state is much more and we recognise that
we can make many more things here. Western Australia is vital to the prosperity
of the nation. To maintain that, we will continue to build a strong,
diversified economy. We will continue building the homes and hospitals that we
need to create the healthiest state in the nation. We will continue growing
Western Australia into a renewable energy powerhouse, and we will continue to
offer the best and most affordable training opportunities in the country.
The CommSec report is a
vindication of this government's economic management. This stands in stark
contrast to our friends in the Liberal and National Parties when they were last
in government. They sent WA into recession. They took debt from $3.6 billion to
$44 billion. There were 25,000 jobs lost in their last two years in government,
and they had the highest unemployment rate in the country.
Not a single job was created in
their second term. It is clear that if Western Australians want this state to
continue to march forward, they can be confident that they have a government
that is putting the policies in place and is backing investment, which is
making sure we grow local jobs, and that we once again can be proud of the term
"Made in WA".
and Western Australia is certainly winning. For the third consecutive quarter, CommSec
has named our economy the best in the nation. In fact, upon release of
yesterday's State of the States report, CommSec
said:
Western Australia has cemented
its position as Australia's top economic performer.
Like all good hat-tricks, this
special achievement is replete with an impressive highlights reel, including retail
spending being the best in the country and 11.5% better than the decade average;
unemployment being the lowest of all states at just 3.5% in March; and WA being
the nation's strongest home builder, with commencements growing to 10.4% above the
10-year average. It is important to know that apart from Western Australia and
South Australia, every other state is building fewer homes than their 10-year
average. Let me be clear on that: every state other than Western Australia and
South Australia is building fewer homes than their 10-year average. Despite the
difficulties associated with building and construction, we are steaming ahead.
Our economy and relative
affordability have also propelled our population to be the fastest growing in
the nation. Importantly, that has also sustained growth in business investment.
WA is rising up the ladder. These positive economic indicators are what led
CommSec to place our state first for economic momentum again and again and
again—three times, Mr Speaker. This affirms that WA is on the right
track. We remain the engine room of the nation's economy despite the
global headwinds. This is what you call resilience.
While this success is noted and
celebrated, we recognise that WA is at the beginning of a much bigger journey.
We recognise that the potential of our state is much more and we recognise that
we can make many more things here. Western Australia is vital to the prosperity
of the nation. To maintain that, we will continue to build a strong,
diversified economy. We will continue building the homes and hospitals that we
need to create the healthiest state in the nation. We will continue growing
Western Australia into a renewable energy powerhouse, and we will continue to
offer the best and most affordable training opportunities in the country.
The CommSec report is a
vindication of this government's economic management. This stands in stark
contrast to our friends in the Liberal and National Parties when they were last
in government. They sent WA into recession. They took debt from $3.6 billion to
$44 billion. There were 25,000 jobs lost in their last two years in government,
and they had the highest unemployment rate in the country.
Not a single job was created in
their second term. It is clear that if Western Australians want this state to
continue to march forward, they can be confident that they have a government
that is putting the policies in place and is backing investment, which is
making sure we grow local jobs, and that we once again can be proud of the term
"Made in WA".
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