Election commitment—Made in WA
3. Mrs Lisa Munday to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's economic plan election commitment Made in WA.
(1) Can the Premier please outline to the house how this plan will help to create jobs and keep the Western Australian economy strong?
(2) Can the Premier please also explain to the house how the plan will help WA respond to the current uncertainty in the global economy?
Mr Roger Cook replied:
I thank the member for the question and congratulate her on a hard-fought win in the seat of Dawesville.
We begin the 42nd Parliament amid a period of global uncertainty. No country on earth is completely immune to the decisions being made on the other side of the world today. These factors are beyond our control, but what we do know is that the Western Australian economy is up to the challenge. We are facing the challenge from a position of strength. We have the strongest economy in the country, the best employment figures in the country and the clearest plan to grow our economy by making more things here. Right now, our Made in WA plan is more important than ever. In the face of uncertainty, we will double down on our efforts to diversify our economy and to make more things in WA, and these policies that we took to the election will protect local jobs by making our economy more resilient. We will do this by investing in our local manufacturing capabilities, training our workforce in the skills of the future, backing the industries and projects that help to create quality jobs in our state, grasping the opportunities before us and ensuring that everyone has a chance to prosper. Made in WA is not the easy path, but it is the path that our kids and their kids will be grateful that we took. By following our plan, we will keep our economy the strongest in the nation. We can make more things here and put manufacturing back into the heart of the WA economy. We can make WA a renewable energy powerhouse, deliver the infrastructure and services we need, create more jobs and restore pride in the words "made in WA".
Made in WA is a vision for our state that looks beyond the next election cycle. It is a plan for our kids and their kids. I am grateful for the support we have received from the Western Australian community to deliver on Made in WA. I have great faith in our state. We are so fortunate to possess a trifecta of economic stability, quality of life and sensible governance—increasingly rare qualities in our current global climate. Our plan will ensure that our state can continue to thrive in an evolving and, quite frankly, disturbing global economy.
