Delivering to the regions
Royalties for Regions and foreign workers were among the issues that attracted comment to our website: www.wabusinessnews.com.au
I WAS surprised when reading the online article ‘Figuratively speaking, big numbers men fail to score in debate’ on the debate between Troy Buswell and Ben Wyatt at the inference that, in relation to the Royalties for Regions program, Mr Wyatt would have more insight into regional Western Australia as he represents the Labor Party on indigenous issues.
The Royalties for Regions program is for developing the regions in all areas for all people.
Mr Wyatt was born in Wewak, a town on the northern coast of the Territory of Papua New Guinea. He was two years old when the family moved to take jobs at Laverton and Kalgoorlie. Mr Wyatt then attended high school and university in Perth, military training in Canberra, worked in Perth and Sydney and then undertook further education in London.
He represents a metropolitan electorate and little is known of him in regional WA.
How does that compare to Troy Buswell who was born in Bunbury, educated at Busselton Senior High School, then went to the University of Western Australia? He returned to the region to open a business in Busselton and was involved in a regional tourism organisation, married and lived in the South West.
He was a local government councillor and then Busselton shire president, and has since been involved in state politics, representing his regional electorate ever since.
Mr Buswell is a visible regional representative and I believe the article misrepresented Mr Wyatt as having a closer affiliation with regional WA.
Marilyn Rulyancich
Busselton
Labour balance
With regard to the article: ‘Barnett attacks Gillard, loses respect for McGowan' ...
IT’S true that FIFO workers are engaged in nation-building work; unfortunately a large number of them are installing foreign made machinery and structures.
If Mr Barnett is so keen on nation building he should concentrate all his efforts on import replacement. Other countries in our region are keen to take on as much skilled work as they can because it is obvious that nation building needs a strong foundation of skilled workers. They know that a strong skills base is developed over several generations and is integral to a strong manufacturing industry.
Meanwhile Australia is eroding its skills base; we have fallen behind our peers because we consistently fail to put ourselves first when it comes to skilled work opportunities.
Hollowing out our economy to please the economists is wrong headed - our policy makers must take action to make our firms competitive so we can win the high-value work that will drive our economy.
If they get the policy settings right, the FIFO workers can proudly install machines made in Western Australia.
James England
Perth
THERE is no need for federal government intervention in the 457 market as it will decline naturally. If the government is so concerned with local people getting jobs, maybe it should have a look at the reduction in training based incentives it implemented in the past week.
Companies require skilled workers and if they cannot source them then training is the next best option. It’s a simple case of productivity being eroded by latent policy that panders to the vocal minority.
Productivity requires flexibility and neither is being addressed effectively. With goal posts changing consistently, how are businesses expected to have the confidence to grow, let alone maintain their competitiveness?
Brad Pense
Perth