Thursday, 29 August 2024

Ministers statements: manufacturing sector

Vicki WARD (Eltham – Minister for Prevention of Family Violence, Minister for Employment) (14:22): The Allan Labor government’s priority workforce projects are delivering jobs for Victorians. The latest project placed 111 jobseekers into engineering and manufacturing jobs. The member for Bayswater and I recently visited his local business NuForm, where we thanked owner Greg and Chisholm Institute for supporting seven new workers – workers like Naomi, who could not fulfil her dream of being a pilot due to health issues, instead finding a much-loved job as a fabrication apprentice. She is also completing a diploma of building and construction.

We are providing training and work opportunities in Victoria’s booming manufacturing sector. We are supporting people facing barriers to employment. We are helping employers find the workers they need. We are charging ahead with the women-in-manufacturing work. We are helping employers find the workers they need. Employers and workers are benefiting from our government’s work.

Manufacturing and engineering businesses have jumped at the chance to sign up jobseekers, like the Hardman group in Clarinda, Active Precision in Narre Warren North, Chelgrave in Hastings and Matthews Fabrication in Pakenham, who are working with us to deliver for Victorian jobseekers. We have also supported Rapid Machining in the seat of Croydon, which I am sure is welcome news for the Shadow Minister for Employment. These projects have helped more than 7400 people into employment in key sectors like aged care, construction and the clean energy economy. All employers are working with us.

Under the Allan Labor government, workers continue to secure employment, helping to address skills shortages. On this side of the chamber we have created 850,000 new jobs. In contrast, one in eight manufacturing jobs were lost in the first three years of that dismal government opposite. They only created 39,000 jobs in – (Time expired)