Peel Health Campus, TAFE courses, and the balance of power in parliament were key issues on the election campaign trail today.
Peel Health Campus, TAFE courses, and the balance of power in parliament were key issues on the election campaign trail today as opposition leader Zak Kirkup and Premier Mark McGowan ventured south to the Peel region.
With less than a week until voters head to the polling booth, both major political parties appear to have their sights set on the seat of Dawesville, a seat the Liberal Party of WA has held since the electorate's inception in 1996 and one Mr Kirkup holds with a margin of just 0.8 per cent.
This morning, Premier Mark McGowan visited Mandurah’s TAFE campus to plug the WA Labor Party’s $752 million plan to boost TAFE and support job creation, the largest ever government investment in the training provider.
The package includes a suite of election commitments, including a four-year extension of the freeze on TAFE fees, further discounts to TAFE courses and upgrades to current facilities at campuses across WA.
The Premier, who was joined by Education Minister Sue Ellery and Labor candidate for Dawesville Lisa Munday, said the commitments were all part of the Labor Party’s plan to make vocational training more accessible and affordable for Western Australians, with fees for some courses being cut by more than 70 per cent.
“Our economy is going from strength to strength and one of the things we’ve been keen to do is make sure West Australians are trained and prepared for the jobs of the future,” he said.
"One of the first things we did in our term in office is freeze TAFE fees, some of which had gone up by as much as 500 per cent.
"We have a 43 per cent increase in applications to go to TAFE this year and I would urge Western Australians to continue taking advantage of the discounts to the TAFE sector.
"It's the lifeblood of much industry across Western Australia, in the regions and the city, and we want to make sure that continues."
In referencing the strength of the state’s economy, Mr McGowan pointed to the latest data released by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA) overnight, which found consumer confidence to be at a 10-year high.
The CCIWA’s Consumer Confidence Survey found 46 per cent of Western Australians expect current economic conditions to hold steady, with the state government’s management of the virus, the national vaccine rollout, and record low interest rates underpinning that confidence.
An hour later, Mr Kirkup held a press conference at Peel Health Campus, blasting the WA Labor Party for failing the state’s hospital system and record-high ambulance ramping times.
He reinforced the risk posed by Labor potentially holding the majority of seats in both the lower and upper houses of parliament.
In addressing his decision to concede defeat, Mr Kirkup defended his choice to speak honestly about the party’s chances at the election and reinforced that the only way to keep Labor to account was to elect Liberals locally.
“What cost would it have if Labor got total control in Western Australia and there were no checks or balances?” he said.
“What would that mean for you and your community?
“The only way to keep Labor honest is to elect Liberal members locally.
"We will fight to ensure the Labor Party do not seize control of the parliament.
"I have five days left to make sure Western Australians understand just how important it is to elect Liberal locally and we continue to do everything we can to get that message out in Dawesville and right across the state.
"To be frank, this was always going to be a very difficult election and people have been critical of how honest we have been with the people of WA about our chances.
"I'm not giving up. I won't stop fighting. It has been a privilege and an honour to serve the people of Dawesville and it's up to them to decide whether I am reelected."
