On the job for more jobs

Labor and Liberal MPs in the region have unveiled their committent to creating jobs ahead of the State election in March. Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke and the Liberal candidate for the region Michelle Boylan have both commented on the jobs issue and where they believe more jobs could be created. Mrs Boylan accused the Labor Government of awarding jobs to non-WA businesses. She listed the $2 million Wander Out Yonder campaign which was awarded to a company in NSW as a prime example where West Australians should have been put first. She also condemned Labor’s back-pedal on the Wellington-Myalup Project as having “no long-term plan for local industry”. Mrs Boylan said she would fight for local jobs in the “agriculture sector and the skills and trades that support it”. A $1000 hand-out from the Liberals was last week announced for “local kids” starting apprenticeships or traineeships. “Locals want to see a plan for local jobs, and opportunities for our young people to pursue a career in our community,” Mrs Boylan said. However, Mrs Clarke labelled Liza Harvey’s job ideas a “waste of money”. She said the Liberal leader “claims she is interested in local jobs, but she wasn’t when she was minister for training.” Mrs Clarke said the Labor party had “done more” than any other Government in history when it came to creating jobs for locals on State Government contracts. She said the WA Jobs Act had supported more than 22,300 local jobs since its inception, including 1400 apprenticeships and traineeships. Mrs Clarke said the policy was to “give preference to local businesses in regional WA”. She has endorsed projects such as the $852 million Bunbury Outer Ring Road and the million-dollar black spot funding for regional roads. “All of these projects will be awarded to local businesses.”