❓ Ms. Winton questions the Premier on how the government's commitment to business confidence translates to investment and job creation, particularly regarding infrastructure. The Premier responds by highlighting significant public and private investments, job creation figures, and criticizes the opposition's stance on infrastructure projects.
AnsweredQoN 606Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY —
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
606. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to providing business and industry with the
confidence and certainty it needs to drive economic growth.
(1) Can the
Premier outline to the house how this growing confidence is turning into
billions of dollars' worth of planned investment as well as creating thousands
of jobs?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house how confidence is also being delivered by this
government's record investment in infrastructure?
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE
606. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to providing business and industry with the
confidence and certainty it needs to drive economic growth.
(1) Can the
Premier outline to the house how this growing confidence is turning into
billions of dollars' worth of planned investment as well as creating thousands
of jobs?
(2) Can the
Premier advise the house how confidence is also being delivered by this
government's record investment in infrastructure?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Wanneroo for the question. We are very optimistic about Western
Australia's economy. Over the recent five-week break we saw articles in
newspapers about tens of billions of dollars of public and private investment
scheduled for Western Australia. In fact, the potential pipeline is $165 billion
worth of potential investment in Western Australia, which of course will create
many thousands of new Western Australian jobs. Over the break, the member for
Pilbara and I turned the first sod on the $1.7 billion Eliwana mine and rail
project. The government succeeded in getting the state agreement and approvals
in place in record time. We know it is going to create 1 900 jobs during
construction and 500 full-time jobs during operations. At least 80 per cent of
the work involved in creating this project is local content. Much of the steel
fabrication will be done here in Western Australia, including the overland
conveyor, the rail bridge girders, the stockyard and train load-out facility.
This comes on top of some of the other projects that we have turned the sod on
or been involved with, such as the $4.7 billion South Flank mine, the $3.5
billion Koodaideri mine, and the $5.1 billion upgrade as part of Gorgon stage 2.
We are also working cooperatively with Woodside and its joint venture partners
to bring in the Browse and Scarborough projects for Western Australia.
When it comes to public investment,
$8 billion plus in road and rail investment is either underway or will shortly
commence—$4 billion in new roads or upgrades. As members know, a large
amount of that came from the commonwealth government when we successfully got
the Roe 8 money converted into road projects around the city and regional Western
Australia—not just in the city; the regions got a big share of that—and
also Metronet. I was pleased to see the Thornlie–Cockburn line get
environmental approval yesterday, paving the way for construction to commence
later this year. Infrastructure Australia today cited Metronet as part of an ''infrastructure
investment boom''. What is the position of the opposition? Every day, the Transport spokesperson—a
bit like Donald Trump—gets on Twitter and attacks everything ,
including Metronet. The Transport spokesperson hates Metronet. She is out there
criticising it all the time. She does not support it. The Leader of the Opposition
has said that the Ellenbrook rail line does not stand up. She said that no-one
lives in Yanchep; no-one lives up there in Yanchep, according to the opposition
leader! I remember the days when the opposition said that no-one lived in
Rockingham, and no-one lived in Mandurah. Its position back then was that
no-one lived south of the river. We know that building rail will ensure that
our city avoids some of the problems being experienced in Sydney, where they
have to retrofit rail at enormous expense. We are avoiding those problems. It
is a pity that the Liberal Party, the opposition in Western Australia, does not
support this government's efforts to create jobs and set the state up
for the future with great infrastructure.
thank the member for Wanneroo for the question. We are very optimistic about Western
Australia's economy. Over the recent five-week break we saw articles in
newspapers about tens of billions of dollars of public and private investment
scheduled for Western Australia. In fact, the potential pipeline is $165 billion
worth of potential investment in Western Australia, which of course will create
many thousands of new Western Australian jobs. Over the break, the member for
Pilbara and I turned the first sod on the $1.7 billion Eliwana mine and rail
project. The government succeeded in getting the state agreement and approvals
in place in record time. We know it is going to create 1 900 jobs during
construction and 500 full-time jobs during operations. At least 80 per cent of
the work involved in creating this project is local content. Much of the steel
fabrication will be done here in Western Australia, including the overland
conveyor, the rail bridge girders, the stockyard and train load-out facility.
This comes on top of some of the other projects that we have turned the sod on
or been involved with, such as the $4.7 billion South Flank mine, the $3.5
billion Koodaideri mine, and the $5.1 billion upgrade as part of Gorgon stage 2.
We are also working cooperatively with Woodside and its joint venture partners
to bring in the Browse and Scarborough projects for Western Australia.
When it comes to public investment,
$8 billion plus in road and rail investment is either underway or will shortly
commence—$4 billion in new roads or upgrades. As members know, a large
amount of that came from the commonwealth government when we successfully got
the Roe 8 money converted into road projects around the city and regional Western
Australia—not just in the city; the regions got a big share of that—and
also Metronet. I was pleased to see the Thornlie–Cockburn line get
environmental approval yesterday, paving the way for construction to commence
later this year. Infrastructure Australia today cited Metronet as part of an ''infrastructure
investment boom''. What is the position of the opposition? Every day, the Transport spokesperson—a
bit like Donald Trump—gets on Twitter and attacks everything ,
including Metronet. The Transport spokesperson hates Metronet. She is out there
criticising it all the time. She does not support it. The Leader of the Opposition
has said that the Ellenbrook rail line does not stand up. She said that no-one
lives in Yanchep; no-one lives up there in Yanchep, according to the opposition
leader! I remember the days when the opposition said that no-one lived in
Rockingham, and no-one lived in Mandurah. Its position back then was that
no-one lived south of the river. We know that building rail will ensure that
our city avoids some of the problems being experienced in Sydney, where they
have to retrofit rail at enormous expense. We are avoiding those problems. It
is a pity that the Liberal Party, the opposition in Western Australia, does not
support this government's efforts to create jobs and set the state up
for the future with great infrastructure.
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