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EDUCATION, TRAINING & SKILLS  

Investing in WA’s future workforce is a shared objective of the Government and  WA resources sector. Funding commitments to enable Western Australians to acquire the knowledge, skills and attributes to participate effectively in the WA economy include:  

  • Apprenticeship and Traineeship Re-engagement Incentive – $4.8 million in one-off payments of $6,000 for hiring an apprentice and $3,000 for hiring a trainee whose training contract was terminated on or after 1 March 2020. 
  • Free Job Ready Skill Sets – $6 million funding for the creation and delivery of free skill sets, including infrastructure, construction, logistics and warehousing.    
  • Lower Fees, Local Skills – $32 million to reduce TAFE fees across 39 high priority courses, including automotive, civil construction, engineering and laboratory skills.  
  • JobTrainer Fund National Partnership Agreement – $51.7 million to expand free and low fee training to young people and jobseekers.  
  • TAFE capital investment program – $167.4 million to upgrade existing TAFE infrastructure across WA, including:  
  • Central Regional TAFE’s Kalgoorlie campus – $10 million for a new heavy plant mechanic and engineering trades workshop in support of WA resource sector needs,  
  • North Regional TAFE’s Pundulmurra campus – $22 million for a new workshop in South Hedland to expand training for plant mechanic and engineering trades in support of WA resource sector needs; and  
  • $8 million for new technologies across all WA TAFE colleges.  
  • Aboriginal Girls Engagement and youth wellbeing – $10.2 million to strengthen the engagement and educational outcomes of Aboriginal students.  

EMPLOYMENT & JOBS  

The WA resources sector is aligned with government’s prioritisation of Western Australian jobs.  Funding to help facilitate a larger local workforce is welcomed by CME.    

  • LNG Jobs Taskforce – $700,000 new funding to support resources sector priority initiatives.  
  • Aboriginal Ranger Program – $560,000 for five new rangers to be employed in expanding Wellington National Park.  
  • New Industries Fund – $4.1 million to extend the fund for another year, to support and accelerate new and emerging businesses.   
  • Building Bonus – $147 million in $20,000 grants for homebuyers to build or purchase a new house between 4 June and 31 December 2020.  

WORKPLACE HEALTH & SAFETY  

CME welcomes the record spend on mental health; an additional $306 million for a whole-of-community approach, including:  

  • Suicide Prevention Action Plan – $52.6 million for new suicide prevention initiatives.  
  • A Safe Place initiative – $44.6 million for community support initiatives.  
  • General hospital services – $168.6 million.  
  • Increased demand for mental health hospital services in the public health system – $68.9 million.  

CME also welcomes the $32 million for family and domestic violence support. Additionally, $4.7 million for the Department of Justice and $2.6 million for Legal Aid to divert contested family violence restraining orders from court into a conferencing mediation service.