❓ The Premier outlines updates to the government's commitment to diversifying the WA economy, focusing on renewable energy, critical minerals, and naval shipbuilding, facilitated by the upcoming State Development Bill aimed at streamlining approvals.
AnsweredQoN 388Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
State economy—State Development Bill
388. Mr Kevin Michel to
the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy so
that it will remain the strongest in the nation.
(1) Can the Premier advise the house of any recent
updates to this commitment?
(2) Can the Premier advise how these updates will
seize the great opportunities presented to the state?
388. Mr Kevin Michel to
the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to diversifying the Western Australian economy so
that it will remain the strongest in the nation.
(1) Can the Premier advise the house of any recent
updates to this commitment?
(2) Can the Premier advise how these updates will
seize the great opportunities presented to the state?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question. There is no bigger example in Western Australia than his electorate
when it comes to renewable energy and the new industries that will drive this
economy. Mr Speaker, you will have heard me speak at length about our
priorities of jobs, health and housing. To create quality jobs and business
opportunities, we need to diversify the WA economy so that it remains the
strongest in the nation. I spoke at Leadership Matters yesterday about the need
to ensure that future generations are not left ruing the chances we did not
take today.
We are operating in a world in
which everyone is competing for capital like never before. Like us, our
competitors are offering incentives, improving infrastructure and developing
their workforces. A consistent variable across jurisdictions, however, is approvals
timelines. To be competitive, governments need to take economic opportunities
and run with them. Today I gave notice that I will introduce the State
Development Bill into the house tomorrow. The bill is the latest and likely
most significant step towards streamlining WA's regulatory and approvals
systems. In recent years we have made progress, including sweeping planning
reforms opposed by the Liberal Party, extensive environmental approvals
reforms, more dedicated staff to approvals and we appointed a Coordinator
General.
These
changes have made a big difference, but we need to build on this momentum to
ensure that WA seizes the three big opportunities in front of us. They are
to get out of coal-fired powered generation faster than any other Australian
state and set up our economy for success in a decarbonising world, support our
major trading partners to decarbonise with the production of critical minerals
and clean downstream products like green iron and to become the largest naval
shipbuilding and maintenance hub in the Southern Hemisphere.
For decades we have relied on
state agreements to facilitate and secure major projects. We are now at the
point at which industry needs are changing. The State Development Bill will
transform the way we develop industrial land and deliver transformational
projects. Importantly, nothing in this bill changes the very high standards for
the protection of cultural and environmental values already enshrined in our
robust regulatory framework. This bill is about cutting through processes, not
undermining standards, because how embarrassing would it be to explain to our
grandkids that renewables were not embraced and that our potential with AUKUS
was not fulfilled because it was simply bogged down in process and considered
too hard?
The clean energy transition and defence
industries present incredible opportunities for us to diversify our economy and
make more things here. The State Development Bill will give us the ability to
get these things done. I am looking forward to the support from all members of
Parliament to make these generational and transformation laws come to life.
question. There is no bigger example in Western Australia than his electorate
when it comes to renewable energy and the new industries that will drive this
economy. Mr Speaker, you will have heard me speak at length about our
priorities of jobs, health and housing. To create quality jobs and business
opportunities, we need to diversify the WA economy so that it remains the
strongest in the nation. I spoke at Leadership Matters yesterday about the need
to ensure that future generations are not left ruing the chances we did not
take today.
We are operating in a world in
which everyone is competing for capital like never before. Like us, our
competitors are offering incentives, improving infrastructure and developing
their workforces. A consistent variable across jurisdictions, however, is approvals
timelines. To be competitive, governments need to take economic opportunities
and run with them. Today I gave notice that I will introduce the State
Development Bill into the house tomorrow. The bill is the latest and likely
most significant step towards streamlining WA's regulatory and approvals
systems. In recent years we have made progress, including sweeping planning
reforms opposed by the Liberal Party, extensive environmental approvals
reforms, more dedicated staff to approvals and we appointed a Coordinator
General.
These
changes have made a big difference, but we need to build on this momentum to
ensure that WA seizes the three big opportunities in front of us. They are
to get out of coal-fired powered generation faster than any other Australian
state and set up our economy for success in a decarbonising world, support our
major trading partners to decarbonise with the production of critical minerals
and clean downstream products like green iron and to become the largest naval
shipbuilding and maintenance hub in the Southern Hemisphere.
For decades we have relied on
state agreements to facilitate and secure major projects. We are now at the
point at which industry needs are changing. The State Development Bill will
transform the way we develop industrial land and deliver transformational
projects. Importantly, nothing in this bill changes the very high standards for
the protection of cultural and environmental values already enshrined in our
robust regulatory framework. This bill is about cutting through processes, not
undermining standards, because how embarrassing would it be to explain to our
grandkids that renewables were not embraced and that our potential with AUKUS
was not fulfilled because it was simply bogged down in process and considered
too hard?
The clean energy transition and defence
industries present incredible opportunities for us to diversify our economy and
make more things here. The State Development Bill will give us the ability to
get these things done. I am looking forward to the support from all members of
Parliament to make these generational and transformation laws come to life.
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.