SCHOOLS —
MAINTENANCE
1090. Hon SIMON O'BRIEN to the
Leader of the House representing the Minister for State Development,
Jobs and Trade:
I refer to the minister's
recent media statement announcing $200 million of works to be carried out in Western
Australia's 789 state schools, an initiative that he claimed will
result in the creation of 3 150 jobs.
(1) While
acknowledging that such a program will deliver welcome opportunities for local
tradespeople, will the minister explain how it is calculated that 3 150 new
jobs will be created?
(2) What is the
definition of a ''new job'' or ''job created'' in
the context of the minister's announcement?
(3) Will the
employment statistics of Western Australia display a permanent increase of 3 150
employees in the future as a result of this initiative; and, if not, what will
it display?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) The job
creation estimate is based on the expected labour component of the total
maintenance package.
(2) In the
previous government's last financial year, 2016–17, $117 million
was allocated to maintenance. In the government's last financial year,
2018–19, $128 million was spent on maintenance. The $200 million
package is in addition to the normal maintenance spend, which will create new
jobs.
(3) Since coming
to government in 2017, over 50 000 new jobs have been created in Western Australia
and this package —
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT: Order!
Hon SUE ELLERY: Why do you
not like creating new jobs? Why do you not like spending maintenance money on
schools? What is your problem?
Several members interjected.
The PRESIDENT: Order! Time is
limited and other people want to ask questions. Minister, if you would finish
your reply, please.
Hon SUE ELLERY: Certainly,
Madam President. If they want to waste their own time, that is up to them.
Since
coming to government in 2017, over 50 000 new jobs have been created in Western
Australia and this package will help continue that trend.