Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm continually amazed at the spirit of innovation on display amongst businesses and community organisations in my electorate. Cyclowest is a radiopharmaceutical manufacturer in Bayswater. General Manager Angela Whittington contacted me for support in relation to a skilled worker they were looking to sponsor through the Skills in Demand (Core Skills) pathway. I also had a tour of their incredible facility. Cyclowest develops, manufactures and supplies radiopharmaceuticals of the highest quality, supporting precise cancer diagnosis and treatment. It is also at the cutting edge of nuclear industry, in Hasluck, and that is shaping the future of our health care. It's also enabling support for defence, giving a safe space for people to understand and learn how to safely handle radiological materials.

In December I was honoured as a guest of the end-of-year function for AES Equipment Solutions, which operates in Hazelmere, in the industrial area of Hasluck. AES designs, manufactures and maintains vehicles and equipment for the mining industry, and they are well placed to take advantage of the changes in our mining and energy economy in the years ahead. This is possible because they have a first-rate employee culture, starting with apprenticeship programs. They are connecting with high schools and the Swan Chamber of Commerce, providing people from all walks of life with opportunities, both the young and those looking to reskill and upskill. I thank the AES leadership for encouraging men and women to explore career paths with them and in the broader field and giving them the recognition they deserve for the extraordinary work they perform in the workplace. A big shout-out to general manager Alex Cooper and the team of AES Equipment Solutions for their work.

Last year I was lucky enough to go on a Transforming Lives Through Employment tour at Hanssen Constructions in Hazelmere. Gerry Hanssen, who has been active in the Swan Chamber of Commerce over many years, has made his organisation available to take on people who have served time and to give them the start they need to get organised, skill up, get working and start the second chapter of their lives. At the peak of some projects, Hanssen Construction has employed more than 90 former prisoners, providing them with work and training. Apart from the expectation that this will assist the ex-prisoners, it is also quite arguable that it strengthens our workforce, our local economy and our community.

Being able to provide employment to people who have experienced hardship in the past gives them dignity and gives them security. It gives them a way forward that reduces the risk of recidivism, which costs us around $120,000 per person annually. I congratulate Gerry Hanssen on this initiative and his leadership in this area, where he's undoubtably changing lives for the better.