❓ The Minister outlines WA government initiatives to address skills shortages in the mining industry, criticising the Commonwealth government's taxation of state training funds. The response highlights programs for apprenticeships, skills development, and overseas recruitment, while urging the opposition to challenge the Commonwealth's actions.
AnsweredQoN 116Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Can the minister outline what is being done at a state level to address the skills shortage in the mining industry? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. We were talking about this issue several years ago, and everybody now understands there are skill shortages across the Western Australian economy. Something had to be done about it and something is being done about it, particularly in the mining and resource development area. The state government has a range of initiatives in place to try to ensure that we build up our skills base. We need to recruit more people into the traditional skills areas and apprenticeships and encourage them to move into the mining and resource areas that are appropriate to their skills. At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. We were talking about this issue several years ago, and everybody now understands there are skill shortages across the Western Australian economy. Something had to be done about it and something is being done about it, particularly in the mining and resource development area. The state government has a range of initiatives in place to try to ensure that we build up our skills base. We need to recruit more people into the traditional skills areas and apprenticeships and encourage them to move into the mining and resource areas that are appropriate to their skills. At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. We were talking about this issue several years ago, and everybody now understands there are skill shortages across the Western Australian economy. Something had to be done about it and something is being done about it, particularly in the mining and resource development area. The state government has a range of initiatives in place to try to ensure that we build up our skills base. We need to recruit more people into the traditional skills areas and apprenticeships and encourage them to move into the mining and resource areas that are appropriate to their skills. At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. We were talking about this issue several years ago, and everybody now understands there are skill shortages across the Western Australian economy. Something had to be done about it and something is being done about it, particularly in the mining and resource development area. The state government has a range of initiatives in place to try to ensure that we build up our skills base. We need to recruit more people into the traditional skills areas and apprenticeships and encourage them to move into the mining and resource areas that are appropriate to their skills. At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
I thank the member for Kimberley for the question. We were talking about this issue several years ago, and everybody now understands there are skill shortages across the Western Australian economy. Something had to be done about it and something is being done about it, particularly in the mining and resource development area. The state government has a range of initiatives in place to try to ensure that we build up our skills base. We need to recruit more people into the traditional skills areas and apprenticeships and encourage them to move into the mining and resource areas that are appropriate to their skills. At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
At training and school levels the government has introduced the School Apprenticeship Link Program, and I thank the member for Peel for his initiative there. It is one of the most far-sighted initiatives the government has been able to take. A group of young people are now building up the skills base by locking themselves into apprenticeship programs. The government developed the “Skill Up for the Burrup” campaign - again another program delivered to government very much by the member for Peel - to build up our skills base and to prepare ourselves for the coming growth in demand. In partnership with the Australian Petroleum Producers and Exploration Association, we have initiated programs in schools to encourage teachers, parents and students to consider careers in the resource industry. Likewise, we have set up a range of programs with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to get people to go into the mining industry. Also, we have established the skills migration unit and the skills task force to establish the exact areas and shortages and to help recruit people from overseas in the short term to try to fill the current vacancies. We are developing a fast-track system for already skilled but not fully accredited workers in the metals industry and for that, in combination with the School Apprenticeship Link Program, we are contributing something like $4.2 million to get people to move into those areas. I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
I will contrast that with the attitude of the commonwealth government. There has been a lot of discussion in recent times about the commonwealth and its attitude towards us and our tax base, as well as its accusation of us double dipping, double taxing and so on. Last week, almost unnoticed it seems in Western Australia, it was revealed that the skills fund that we have put in place and revitalised for the Building and Construction Industry Training Fund, through which we contribute $6.6 million to build up skills in the building industry, is being taxed by the commonwealth government. Thirty per cent of that money goes to the commonwealth government. It is actually taxing our initiative to encourage employers to offer apprenticeships. The commonwealth government provides assistance to employers and then taxes that. The commonwealth provides assistance to employers, allegedly to take on apprentices, and then it takes that money back. The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
The Western Australian government is working extremely diligently with the stakeholders in the mining and resource industries to address the skills shortage issue over a range of areas, such as bringing new people on, upskilling existing workers and recruiting workers from overseas, where that is necessary. We are being hampered, not supported, in that effort by the commonwealth government. I would like to see the other side of politics, particularly from the Leader of the Opposition, who represents Kalgoorlie, support us on this issue by taking it up with the commonwealth. Why is the commonwealth taxing our initiatives to encourage more people into the resource industry? I would like to see some response from the member on that issue.
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