Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In Canning, 16 per cent of families are currently jobless. That translates to over 3,000 children under the age of 15 growing up with no working role model for the skills and experience that employers look for. Last week I welcomed the Minister for Employment to Canning. We spoke with business owners and community leaders about the challenging local labour market and how the coalition is making it easier for businesses to give young people a go through the PaTH program. The $750 million PaTH initiative will equip the unemployed youth of Canning with the tools they need to get and keep a job. It will prepare them for the job market through industry focused training, help them develop basic skills in the workplace, trial them in the workplace through a four- to 12-week paid internship and hire them, by offering a youth bonus wage subsidy to businesses for the training and development of new employees.

In addition to the PaTH program, I am working with local governments and peak bodies on a project that will provide jobs, investment and development for the Peel region. Transform Peel comprises three main subprojects: the Peel Business Park, the Peel Food Zone and the Peel Integrated Water Initiative. This project has the potential to deliver 33,000 jobs, an economic output of $16 billion per annum, an export value of $2 billion per annum and a gross value-added of $5.3 billion per annum. This week, all WA Liberal members and senators co-signed a letter that I submitted to the Treasurer supporting this project. (Time expired)

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members on both sides will cease interjecting. The member for Grayndler and the Leader of the House, we have not got to question time yet. In accordance with standing order 43, the time for members' statements has concluded.