Mr McCARTHY - 2008-09-16
The business community has shown overwhelming support for our efforts to attract skilled workers. How successful has the skilled worker campaign been in raising awareness of opportunities in the Territory, and what was the response to the NT Jobs Show hosted in Melbourne last week?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As I said in my previous answer, the biggest problem small businesses in the Territory face is not what is going to happen with the economy tomorrow, it is where they are going to find the workers. We said before that our intention is to employ Territorians and, if we cannot find Territorians, then employ other Australians, and we keep our eyes and ears open following what is happening around Australia. When we find out there is a possibility to run a campaign to attract workers to the Territory, we do it. That is the reason why officers from my department went to Adelaide and Newcastle, and we had an NT Jobs Show that attracted 700 potential workers.
Last week, the Jobs Show was held at the Flemington Racecourse, together with my officers, and Mr Chris Young, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce; Mr Graham Kemp from the Territory Construction Association; and, from Engineering Australia NT Branch, Ms Bronwyn Russell. We organised the Jobs Show because Ford Australia announced it is closing its plants in Geelong and Broadmeadows – 200 people viewed in excess of 500 job vacancies. The details of those people have now been recorded on the department’s database and all this information is available to businesses throughout the Territory. In addition, my departmental officers met with Ford Australia to promote the Territory as a place of employment when Ford Australia is reducing its workforce, and that will happen for the next 12 months.
Apart from Australia, my departmental officers travel overseas. We had a Migration Expo in Cape Town, South Africa, where around 3000 people attended. Following that, we went to Johannesburg. We are expecting 8000 people to attend the Migration Expo for Australia. There are expectations that many of these people will decide to make the Territory their home because of similarities in culture and language. Following this, we are targeting New Zealand, United Kingdom and Germany.
We have the fastest growing economy in the country, and we have the lowest unemployment. Our problem is where to find qualified workers. We cannot produce qualified workers overnight. If the previous government had invested in the bush …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … after 27 years of neglect in the bush, has not produced any qualified worker in the bush.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As I said in my previous answer, the biggest problem small businesses in the Territory face is not what is going to happen with the economy tomorrow, it is where they are going to find the workers. We said before that our intention is to employ Territorians and, if we cannot find Territorians, then employ other Australians, and we keep our eyes and ears open following what is happening around Australia. When we find out there is a possibility to run a campaign to attract workers to the Territory, we do it. That is the reason why officers from my department went to Adelaide and Newcastle, and we had an NT Jobs Show that attracted 700 potential workers.
Last week, the Jobs Show was held at the Flemington Racecourse, together with my officers, and Mr Chris Young, the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce; Mr Graham Kemp from the Territory Construction Association; and, from Engineering Australia NT Branch, Ms Bronwyn Russell. We organised the Jobs Show because Ford Australia announced it is closing its plants in Geelong and Broadmeadows – 200 people viewed in excess of 500 job vacancies. The details of those people have now been recorded on the department’s database and all this information is available to businesses throughout the Territory. In addition, my departmental officers met with Ford Australia to promote the Territory as a place of employment when Ford Australia is reducing its workforce, and that will happen for the next 12 months.
Apart from Australia, my departmental officers travel overseas. We had a Migration Expo in Cape Town, South Africa, where around 3000 people attended. Following that, we went to Johannesburg. We are expecting 8000 people to attend the Migration Expo for Australia. There are expectations that many of these people will decide to make the Territory their home because of similarities in culture and language. Following this, we are targeting New Zealand, United Kingdom and Germany.
We have the fastest growing economy in the country, and we have the lowest unemployment. Our problem is where to find qualified workers. We cannot produce qualified workers overnight. If the previous government had invested in the bush …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: … after 27 years of neglect in the bush, has not produced any qualified worker in the bush.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016