Business groups want skills training, industrial relations reform and budget policy at the top of the Gallop Government’s second-term policy agenda. Mark Beyer reports.
Business groups want skills training, industrial relations reform and budget policy at the top of the Gallop Government’s second-term policy agenda. Mark Beyer reports.
IN his victory speech on Saturday night, Premier Geoff Gallop declared education and training would be his main priority during his government’s second term.
That has been welcomed by a range of business groups, which would like to see the premier’s commitment translated into tangible action to deal with the shortage of skilled workers in Western Australia.
Master Builders Association director Michael McLean said the skills shortage was the single greatest threat to the future viability of the building and construction industry.
“This is now starting to cause delays to projects, longer construction periods and higher costs through increases in the price of labour,” he said.
His concern has been backed by Motor Trade Association director Peter Fitzpatrick, who says “the biggest problem the state faces is the skills shortage”.
However, dealing with the skills shortage will be just one of the challenges facing the Gallop Government, which is expected to have some prominent new faces in the ministry.
Education Minister Alan Carpenter, considered one of the Gallop Government’s best performers and a likely future leader, is widely tipped to take the state development portfolio following the retirement of Clive Brown.
There is speculation that Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan may be moved and that Eric Ripper may keep treasury but lose energy.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive John Langoulant wants Mr Ripper to retain his current portfolios.
“I think Eric Ripper deserves to stay as treasurer,” Mr Langoulant said, adding that he wanted Mr Ripper to keep charge of energy reform, as this adds “gravitas” to a key issue.
Mr Langoulant has warned the government that it needs to work harder to achieve acceptable budget outcomes during its second term of office.
He has urged the Government to improve on its latest budget projections, which predict the budget surplus will fall from $469 million in the current financial year to $187 million in 2005-06 and about $100 million in later years.
“The current numbers aren’t strong enough,” Mr Langoulant said. “The Government needs to work harder.”
He suggested the government establish another “machinery of government” review and a “more aggressive” functional review program.
“There is still a lot of duplication and overlap, and it is clearly possible to do another functional review,” Mr Langoulant said.
He said revenue would probably grow faster than assumed in the latest treasury projections, based on higher mining royalties.
“They should hang on to that money in the surplus,” Mr Langoulant said.
Mr Fitzpatrick said treasury had been “overly cautious” in its revenue forecasts, but hoped any extra revenue would be used to fund tax cuts.
On other issues, Mr Langoulant said he was keen to see more industrial relations reform, and urged the Government to work cooperatively with its federal counterpart and with business to achieve a more flexible system.
He expects industrial relations “is going to be one of the biggest areas of contention”.
Mr Fitzpatrick, who is also a spokesman for the Coalition of Business Associations, said the number of working days lost through industrial disputes in WA was double the national rate.
He said the growth in spurious unfair dismissal claims was another area of concern for small business.
Mr Langoulant said infrastructure planning was another high priority area.
He wants a systematic analysis of infrastructure needs, rigorous cost-benefit reviews and timely provision of port, water and roads infrastructure that passes those tests.
The number one priority for Chamber of Minerals & Energy chief executive Tim Shanahan is to get some “traction” on reform of the mining approvals process.
“There has been some good efforts but the wheels are still spinning,” Mr Shanahan said.
He said the Goverment had not gone as far or as fast as it could have with its implementation of the Keating review reforms.
Other policy changes, such as new land clearing rules, had created new hurdles.
Mr Shanahan said the shortage of skilled workers, which extended across trades, technical disciplines and professions, needed to be a major focus for the Government.
A third priority was continued work on safety standards following last year’s Ritter inquiry.
The Master Builders Association said measures to tackle the skills shortage would include an overhaul of the apprenticeship system.
