❓ Hon Jacqui Boydell questions the Minister for Regional Development on the Goldfields Migrant Employment Project's progress and potential impact of Perth's regional city reinstatement. The Minister provides an update on the project's funding, participation, and relocation successes, while dismissing concerns about negative impacts on Kalgoorlie.
AnsweredQoN 1377Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
GOLDFIELDS MIGRANT
EMPLOYMENT PROJECT
1377. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the Minister for Regional Development:
I
refer to the goldfields migration employment program and the minister's
response to my question without notice 1243 from last year.
(1) Can the
minister provide an update on the pilot program that the state government
developed in an attempt to encourage people to move to the regions,
specifically —
(a) the total cost of the program to
date, with a tabled breakdown of costs;
(b) how many people have participated
in the pilot program; and
(c) how many people have moved to
regional Western Australia as a result?
(2) Does the
minister accept that the government's decision to reinstate Perth as a regional
city will have a negative impact on regions such as Kalgoorlie, which is in the
process of implementing a designated area migration agreement?
EMPLOYMENT PROJECT
1377. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the Minister for Regional Development:
I
refer to the goldfields migration employment program and the minister's
response to my question without notice 1243 from last year.
(1) Can the
minister provide an update on the pilot program that the state government
developed in an attempt to encourage people to move to the regions,
specifically —
(a) the total cost of the program to
date, with a tabled breakdown of costs;
(b) how many people have participated
in the pilot program; and
(c) how many people have moved to
regional Western Australia as a result?
(2) Does the
minister accept that the government's decision to reinstate Perth as a regional
city will have a negative impact on regions such as Kalgoorlie, which is in the
process of implementing a designated area migration agreement?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I know that she shares
the enthusiasm of Hon Kyle McGinn and me for this very excellent program.
(1) The
Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission and the Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development have awarded $249 960 in funding to
this migration employment project, through the
regional economic development—RED—grants program, and the
Goldfields Community Legal Centre contributed $155 499 in kind to this
project. The goldfields legal centre has so far received $120 000 and the total
project spend from the RED grant is $26 710.74. A breakdown of that expenditure
includes $22 810.65 for recruitment and
migration settlement services, including employment events; $2 006.70 for travel and accommodation; $1 893.39 for
regional promotional materials and activities; and the community legal
centre has spent $20 138.
Since
July 2019, when the project started, 150 people have been engaged in this
project through employment events in Perth and 50 people over the phone
and by email. The project has so far successfully relocated eight people—some
with families—to the goldfields region, with 21 people in the pipeline
currently negotiating work placements in the region. The project has only
recently commenced and I expect these numbers to grow as interest in the region
and its many employment opportunities grows. Indeed, an employment expo is
being held next week on 28 November in Mirrabooka, which will engage with more
people seeking employment in the regions.
(2) The state
government does not accept that this designation will have a negative impact on
Kalgoorlie–Boulder and migration attraction efforts. Indeed, the state
government continues to actively support the relocation of workers to the
goldfields region, where there are many jobs and a fantastic quality of life,
and the goldfields migrant employment project has already demonstrated this.
the enthusiasm of Hon Kyle McGinn and me for this very excellent program.
(1) The
Goldfields–Esperance Development Commission and the Department of
Primary Industries and Regional Development have awarded $249 960 in funding to
this migration employment project, through the
regional economic development—RED—grants program, and the
Goldfields Community Legal Centre contributed $155 499 in kind to this
project. The goldfields legal centre has so far received $120 000 and the total
project spend from the RED grant is $26 710.74. A breakdown of that expenditure
includes $22 810.65 for recruitment and
migration settlement services, including employment events; $2 006.70 for travel and accommodation; $1 893.39 for
regional promotional materials and activities; and the community legal
centre has spent $20 138.
Since
July 2019, when the project started, 150 people have been engaged in this
project through employment events in Perth and 50 people over the phone
and by email. The project has so far successfully relocated eight people—some
with families—to the goldfields region, with 21 people in the pipeline
currently negotiating work placements in the region. The project has only
recently commenced and I expect these numbers to grow as interest in the region
and its many employment opportunities grows. Indeed, an employment expo is
being held next week on 28 November in Mirrabooka, which will engage with more
people seeking employment in the regions.
(2) The state
government does not accept that this designation will have a negative impact on
Kalgoorlie–Boulder and migration attraction efforts. Indeed, the state
government continues to actively support the relocation of workers to the
goldfields region, where there are many jobs and a fantastic quality of life,
and the goldfields migrant employment project has already demonstrated this.
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