❓ Opposition questions the Premier's decision to keep resource companies' local content reports secret. The Premier defends the policy, arguing transparency would reduce the quality of reporting and hinder efforts to improve local content, also addressing youth unemployment in Kwinana.
AnsweredQoN 530Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
RESOURCES SECTOR — LOCAL CONTENT — premier’s press conference, 30 August
I have a supplementary question. Noting the Premier’s comment about the government providing its own local content reports, will he review his government’s policy to keep secret the actual local content reports from the resources companies? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I have a supplementary question. Noting the Premier’s comment about the government providing its own local content reports, will he review his government’s policy to keep secret the actual local content reports from the resources companies? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
I could make them public, but what would the quality of those reports be? Very limited. The reason they are confidential is so that the companies are totally open with government, as they were during the Leader of the Opposition’s time in government. From that, we are able to talk to them about individual tenders and contracts, and how it is being done. If we were to make that information public, it is absolutely certain that those companies, Australian and particularly international, would give limited information, and there would be limited ability to actually improve local content. There is high youth unemployment in Kwinana, and that is of great concern. I urge those young people to take up training. There are more training places in operation in Western Australia now than ever before in history, and maybe part of the issue is to get some of those young people to actually complete their secondary education and take up training opportunities. Do not blame local content as the reason for youth unemployment; I suspect it is a little more complex than that.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I could make them public, but what would the quality of those reports be? Very limited. The reason they are confidential is so that the companies are totally open with government, as they were during the Leader of the Opposition’s time in government. From that, we are able to talk to them about individual tenders and contracts, and how it is being done. If we were to make that information public, it is absolutely certain that those companies, Australian and particularly international, would give limited information, and there would be limited ability to actually improve local content. There is high youth unemployment in Kwinana, and that is of great concern. I urge those young people to take up training. There are more training places in operation in Western Australia now than ever before in history, and maybe part of the issue is to get some of those young people to actually complete their secondary education and take up training opportunities. Do not blame local content as the reason for youth unemployment; I suspect it is a little more complex than that.
I could make them public, but what would the quality of those reports be? Very limited. The reason they are confidential is so that the companies are totally open with government, as they were during the Leader of the Opposition’s time in government. From that, we are able to talk to them about individual tenders and contracts, and how it is being done. If we were to make that information public, it is absolutely certain that those companies, Australian and particularly international, would give limited information, and there would be limited ability to actually improve local content. There is high youth unemployment in Kwinana, and that is of great concern. I urge those young people to take up training. There are more training places in operation in Western Australia now than ever before in history, and maybe part of the issue is to get some of those young people to actually complete their secondary education and take up training opportunities. Do not blame local content as the reason for youth unemployment; I suspect it is a little more complex than that.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I could make them public, but what would the quality of those reports be? Very limited. The reason they are confidential is so that the companies are totally open with government, as they were during the Leader of the Opposition’s time in government. From that, we are able to talk to them about individual tenders and contracts, and how it is being done. If we were to make that information public, it is absolutely certain that those companies, Australian and particularly international, would give limited information, and there would be limited ability to actually improve local content. There is high youth unemployment in Kwinana, and that is of great concern. I urge those young people to take up training. There are more training places in operation in Western Australia now than ever before in history, and maybe part of the issue is to get some of those young people to actually complete their secondary education and take up training opportunities. Do not blame local content as the reason for youth unemployment; I suspect it is a little more complex than that.
I could make them public, but what would the quality of those reports be? Very limited. The reason they are confidential is so that the companies are totally open with government, as they were during the Leader of the Opposition’s time in government. From that, we are able to talk to them about individual tenders and contracts, and how it is being done. If we were to make that information public, it is absolutely certain that those companies, Australian and particularly international, would give limited information, and there would be limited ability to actually improve local content. There is high youth unemployment in Kwinana, and that is of great concern. I urge those young people to take up training. There are more training places in operation in Western Australia now than ever before in history, and maybe part of the issue is to get some of those young people to actually complete their secondary education and take up training opportunities. Do not blame local content as the reason for youth unemployment; I suspect it is a little more complex than that.
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