Australia’s jobs and skills summit can’t be another ‘talkfest’ and must address regional WA’s labour shortage

The much-hyped job summit must deliver for regional Western Australia. The recent “wholesale” overhaul of the McGowan government’s skilled migration program has done little to ease the desperate shortage of labour in the vital agricultural and transport sectors. Truck divers and agricultural workers were not among the 106 jobs added to WA’s priority occupation list announced by Premier Mark McGowan recently. The State Government shifted the blame to Canberra for this disappointing oversight. “WA cannot include what the Commonwealth regards as semi-skilled and unskilled occupations, such as truck drivers, agricultural workers, drillers, train drivers and care sector workers,” a spokesperson told The West Australian newspaper. “We’ve been listening to industry on this matter, which is why the Premier has flagged he will be asking the Commonwealth at the . . . Jobs and Skills Summit to consider a broader range of occupations to meet the demand for workers in WA.” That is an interesting definition of skilled worker. Driving instructors made the expanded WA list. Not truck drivers. So, the driver behind the steering wheel of the 90tonne road train coming towards you on the narrow strip of bitumen is not considered to be skilled but the person teaching you to parallel park is? Hairdressers made the list, but not header drivers. I admit, it must take considerable skill to get a decent result out of my head of hair when I sit in the chair for a trim, but the operators of the almost $1 million machines taking off this year’s grain harvest across WA also have a high level of skill and significant responsibility. And the obvious point to be made is that we assume the Premier and the State Government have been aware of this failing of the Commonwealth system for some time. The WA agriculture sector has been pressing the State Government for action on relieving the worker shortage since the borders were closed and workers kept out before the 2020 harvest. Why wait this long if you have been aware of the problem? Has the Premier spent the past two years pleading with the Commonwealth to make the necessary changes to allow those agriculture and transport jobs to be included? We know the State government has been aware of the problems caused by closed borders and worker shortages. As far back as the end of March 2020 the “Here for WA” campaign was launched to “connect job seekers with opportunities across regional Western Australia”. The plan was quickly replaced in September 2020 with the Wander Out Yonder scheme. A decidedly strange mix of messaging allegedly designed to “urge young Western Australians to have a backpacking adventure in WA” while at the same time “help address labour shortages in agriculture” and other regional sectors. You might remember the television advertisements. Young people relaxing in hammocks, dolphins leaping through the waves, swimming with whale sharks. I can imagine the young “wanderer” seduced by the glossy advertisement politely inquiring of the boss three weeks into harvest when the whale sharks and hammocks might make an appearance. WA Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan was effusive in her enthusiasm for the scheme at the time. “This is the opportunity for an adventure of a lifetime, working and living in some of Australia’s most stunning and iconic locations from Kununurra to Esperance.” Interestingly, there was no mention of oat dust or drenching sheep. “Our farmers and growers need our help to fill these seasonal roles and continue to feed the State - and young Western Australians can be part of that critically important work,” Minister MacTiernan said. Well, the urge to wander wasn’t overwhelming and the agricultural sector still need people. Young, old, anybody. So, the pressure is on the Federal Government and the Premier to deliver. The Jobs and Skills Summit in Canberra can’t just be a talkfest. With another harvest looming our farmers, transport operators and regional communities need results. And workers. Steve Martin is a Liberal MLC.