Press Conference - TAFE NSW Wollongong

Subjects: Heavy Manufacturing Centre of Excellence for Wollongong, partnership with Bluescope, Maldon-Dombarton rail line, extensions to Metro West, Western Sydney Airport, social housing in the South Coast, removing trucks from Bulli pass, role of COE in renewable delivery, parliamentary inquiry into Gareth Ward, cashless gambling report, mobile PFAS water treatment systems in the Blue Mountains, drug court in Wollongong, future of Russell Vale mine.

MEMBER FOR CUNNINGHAM ALISON BYRNES: It is really exciting to be here today with Premier Minns, Minister Giles and members of the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments for this very exciting  $47 million announcement. This is about investing in people, investing in skills that will help to grow the jobs in our region and make sure that our workers are ready to take on the new opportunities that the Future Made in Australia brings and also the jobs that will come in our clean and renewable energy sector.

And it gives me great pleasure to welcome Premier Minns today to do the announcement. Thank you.

PREMIER OF NSW CHRIS MINNS: Thanks, Alison. It’s great to be here with you and with a cast of thousands, in particular, my colleagues and state MPs, ministers, everybody here.

Also can I just acknowledge Brad Pidgeon from the AMWU as well, a big supporter of this kind of investment. And we genuinely appreciate the partnership, the engagement we’ve had from the union here because they’ve been focused on the future and where young people in particular will work in a changing industry.

This is not a drain on the Budget, it’s not a cost to annual revenues; this is an investment in the future. We’re very, very happy and very proud to partner with the Albanese Government to invest in the jobs of tomorrow. You’ve got rapidly changing manufacturing industries and firms that are on the cutting edge of providing world-class globally competitive export-quality goods to be selling to the rest of the world. But we need to make sure that we’re investing in the training so as we’re staying a step ahead of everywhere else.

We don’t want to compete when it comes to wages. We don’t want to have a race to the bottom with emerging economies to our north. We want to make sure that when people buy Australian they are buying the very best in the world. And the only way we’re going to achieve that while keeping wages high and ensuring that people that work in these industries can pay off their mortgages and raise a family is if we put this initial investment in.

These manufacturing centres of excellence are going to make a difference in the years ahead. And the people that come through it, whether they’re doing a micro course or a full credential or an apprenticeship, will literally have their lives changed as a result of this kind of investment.

So we can’t wait to see if people like Jess and Nick, who are behind us, grow in the years ahead, work for firms in New South Wales and see them meet their full potential and then potentially go into their own firms in the years ahead and start up their own businesses because they’ve got world’s best training.

So thank you, Andrew, for this investment. It’s great to partner with the Commonwealth Government. We think this investment is going to make a major difference, and it means that we’re on the cutting edge of the jobs of the future right here in Wollongong. And I think, lastly – this is perhaps most importantly – adding to the incredibly strong legacy of goods manufactured right here in the Illawarra. Andrew.

MINISTER FOR SKILLS AND TRAINING ANDREW GILES: Thanks very much, Chris for everything you’ve said. This is really all about investing in our future through investing in our greatest asset – our people. This $47 million partnership between the Minns Government and the Albanese Government is about investing in people, ensuring that they can get the skills they want in areas that we really need across heavy manufacturing, with a particular emphasis on areas like defence and transport.

It's all about our Future Made in Australia agenda and ensuring that people right here in the Illawarra, around New South Wales and ultimately right around the country can get the skills that they want, whether it’s about upskilling into a micro credential or innovation through partnerships – because this is also all about rebuilding our TAFEs at the absolute centre of vocational education and training, partnering with universities, partnering with industries so that skills can evolve as technology evolves.

We think there’s a great future for Australia in manufacturing, as the Premier has just set out. But to make sure that we realise all of the benefits of that future, we need to ensure that our people in regions like this with such a proud history can continue to have a strong future in good, well-paid jobs in making things right here in Australia.

This is all about, too, a partnership. And with that, I’m really pleased to work so closely through the National Skills Agreement with my great friend Minister Steve Whan, who’ll have a bit more to say.

MINISTER FOR SKILLS, TAFE AND TERTIARY EDUCATION STEVE WHAN: Thanks, Andrew. And it is a great pleasure to be here as part of this $47 million commitment in Wollongong to a heavy manufacturing centre of excellence for this region. The region is famous for its steel production, for its heavy manufacturing, and we want to make sure that that future continues.

What this is going to do is take our traditional apprenticeship approaches, traditional trades – which we need many more people to engage in and we need many more young people or career – mid-career people to actually come in and do trades – but it’s going to increase the pathways through into this more advanced manufacturing. Things like the sort of robotics that comes into manufacturing where you need to be able to do an element of the IT that goes with the production in manufacturing these days. Those are the sort of things which we can do through higher degrees and through links with universities as we move forward with these centres of excellence.

So it’s about improving pathways for young people. They might come in and do a trade to start with and then go on and do some of this that takes them forward into that manufacturing that makes us world competitive in the future. Also for people who are midcareer, we’ll have short courses, micro credentials, which people can come back in to improve their skills, perhaps engage in the renewable sector as we move forward to net zero in the economy.

So there’s some great opportunities here. It’s a $47 million investment. We’ve got the teachers in TAFE who can deliver this. We’ll be putting in place equipment which will be based here in Wollongong and also enables us to spread the skills out further. Things like augmented reality welding, which is an amazing thing where you can learn to weld in almost circumstance and with every type of welding technology but without actually having to have a lab and all the protective gear around you.

Those are the sort of things that we need for the skills, particularly welding, pipe fitters and those sort of things that we need for defence industries in the future and we need for that heavy manufacturing and manufacturing future and the transition to net zero.

So it’s really great to see this manufacturing centre of excellence putting together the career pathway for young people in the Illawarra, putting together the career transitions for people all around our state and making a contribution to doing the same thing right around Australia in conjunction with the Federal Government.

MINNS: And before we take questions, can I also just acknowledge Tania Brown, the newly elected Mayor of Wollongong. Congratulations to you, mate. Tania drives a really hard bargain. She puts State Governments in a head lock, and we – but I have to say we admire her commitment to this community. She always puts Wollongong first, and I know we’re going to have a productive relationship. But we congratulate you on your success, mate. It’s an amazing win.

We’re all happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: In terms of the federal-state government inquiry about the transport links to Western Sydney, which has only just been recently released and included in it the Maldon-Dombarton rail line, given you’ve got several state and federal MPs behind you who are very supportive of that project, does the government have a stance on whether they’re going to look into it or go through with that at all?

MINNS: We are looking into it. We’ve put $10 million into a rail study for Wollongong, the Illawarra, the South Coast. And part of it will look at that freight line. I know Paul Scully in particular has been a vocal and longstanding advocate for that kind [indistinct]. I don’t have an announcement today to make about it. And it’s a heavy investment. The capital that’s required to make it work isn’t cheap, but it could be a gamechanger for access to the port and movement of freight, easing up some traffic and ensuring that it’s safer on the roads that enter the Illawarra.

So I don’t have an announcement today, but that $10 million investment into rail in the future will inform the government’s decisions. And we’re always open to working the Commonwealth Government, particularly if they’ve got their cheque book.

JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] delay spending on the Metro West link and prioritise that south west and north west corridor. Would you consider that?

MINNS: Well, we are – I mean, the tunnelling on Metro West has proceeded all the way from Hunter Street, it’s close to Rose Hill now, and the government is committed – our government and the previous government have committed billions of dollars into the project. So to walk away from it now would mean, I think, we’d miss out on a major investment in Sydney’s future.

And I don’t think – I mean, when you consider the government is working very closely with the Minister for Planning to lift the population and the density levels along that route, we’re also pursuing [indistinct] as appropriate change to Rose Hill Racecourse and much-needed public transport investment. I think to walk away from it now would be the wrong decision for the city.

JOURNALIST: I’m not asking you to walk away from it; just to delay the spending and focus on the actual biggest growth area in the state, which is – and Australia, which is south west Sydney.

MINNS: But how would we delay it?

JOURNALIST: It’s their suggestion.

MINNS: I’m not – I haven’t read that that’s their suggestion. I’m not sure that’s true. I think that they’ve been pursuing the government in relation to extensions to Metro West, so extensions from Westmead, from St Marys, from Tallawong. We don’t have plans for that. Obviously we’ve got – we’re current in a situation where the previous government built 10 Metro stations. I opened another 8, but that was really the Berejiklian Government. At the moment we’re pursuing construction of an additional 25 Metro stations. So we’re in the midst of that. That’s a lot in terms of the government’s capacity to pay for it and its impact on the economy, particularly when it comes to labour. So we’ve got ambitious plans for the state, but to walk away from Metro West I don’t think would be a good decision.

JOURNALIST: Just expanding on your [indistinct], that Labor-led inquiry recommended it be completed between [indistinct] and the [indistinct] connection. They say it’s critical for the future of the Western Sydney Airport. Does that change your thinking about that kind of infrastructure and how it is needed to support [indistinct]?

MINNS: I think when it comes to the Western Sydney Airport critical infrastructure is going to be required as it grows. The airport won’t be at capacity on the first day. As evidence of that I can tell you that in the initial instance the airport will only be open to cargo and not to passengers. Now, that will change over time, and capacity on the airport will lift. But to give you an example of the kind of investment we are putting into the airport, the government’s partnership with the Commonwealth Government for a metro line to the second airport is twice as expensive as the airport. And that doesn’t include any of the road connections that we’re also putting into the site. And it doesn’t include any of the new public transport links that we’re putting in when it comes to buses for the south west.

So in terms of investment for the airport to make it work, to make it logistically work, whatever we are putting in pales next to – sorry, whatever the government – the Federal Government is putting in to the actual building of the airport, that pales into significance compared to the ancillary works the State Government is putting in, which is billions and billions of dollars.

JOURNALIST: The Mayor of Wollondilly says – and this is just a curious point – he says basically it can see the effort being built, but it would be much faster to get to Mascot by public transport than getting to the current planned aerotropolis. So is it your vision – and by what you’re saying, cargo first, passengers later – that you will have public transport infrastructure in place for that community by the time passenger –

MINNS: Definitely not. I’m not saying that. I mean, you’re talking about a 7 to $10 billion transport project from the south west by 2026. So, no. No government could promise that. And I don’t – I’m not sure that they would be suggesting that we could whip up a train line in 24 months.

JOURNALIST: In terms of the situation with Gareth Ward, there’s a parliamentary inquiry going on. Will you be making a submission to that yourself?

MINNS: No, I won’t. I’ll leave that up to the Privileges Committee.

JOURNALIST: And also just on that, still on the same subject, because you’re taking questions on notice from him in parliament, given the electorate voted him in and chose him as their representative, do you sort of think that’s sending the wrong message to people –

MINNS: No, I’m being very reasonable in relation to this. I’m really sorry – I respect the electorate’s judgement, but that individual is facing very serious criminal inquiries in the court, and I’m going to wait for that to make – I’m going to wait for the courts to make their judgement in relation to that individual. And I am not offering a running commentary about it. And that’s the decision I made when the Parliament was returned. I’m just not going to pretend that that criminal trial is not running concurrent with the New South Wales Parliament’s obligations. I’m just not going to do it.

JOURNALIST: There are a number of social housing –

MINNS: We wouldn’t do it in any other area of the New South Wales Government – not in schools, not in hospitals. If you’re a regular public servant in any other part of the New South Wales Government. So I think that it’s the least I should be doing inside the New South Wales Parliament.

JOURNALIST: There are a number of social housing properties in South Coast that have been left dormant. Gareth Ward is claiming that if this was in your electorate or in [indistinct] Sydney they’d be basically remediated and rebuilt. What work are you doing in that space? What commitment can you make to clean up these sites?

MINNS: Yeah, well, I mean, the government committed $5 billion to brand new public social housing at the last Budget. That’s the largest amount any government has ever committed to social housing in the history of the state in a single Budget. That’s an additional 8,000 social housing units to be built over a five-year period. It’s a huge investment. I have to tell you the reason we had to commit to it is because the previous government ran down public housing like you wouldn’t believe. I think we lost over 10,000 public housing tenancies across New South Wales during that term of government. The latest statistics I have is a 14 per cent reduction in social housing.

So I guess I’m saying we’re coming from a long way back. We’re putting the investment in, but it takes time to build new social housing. If they kept up even the minimum – even the bear minimum – for social housing in the Illawarra, we would be starting from a base where we could be thinking about the additions to the local community. As it is, because they let it run into the ground, we have to focus on remediating what was left. We’re committed to doing it, but it takes a lot of time.

JOURNALIST: A truck driver also sadly died on Bulli Pass yesterday. Renewing calls to remove trucks completely from that stretch of road. Is that something that’s on the table?

MINNS: I can’t comment on that. The main reason is that it’s one of two main entrances into the Illawarra. This is still a manufacturing town. It’s a town that exports to the rest of Australia and around the world. And to unilaterally declare that it would be cut off I think would be hugely – hugely – problematic for the local economy in the run up to Christmas.

But can I say, I’m obviously devastated for the family. I understand that it’s a very dangerous stretch of road. It’s been that way for a long time. It’s one of the leading reasons why the Member for Keira was so resolute – Ryan Park – was so resolute and insisting that we spend $390 million on the Mount Ousley interchange. We believe that will make it safer. And if you look at the statistics, at the near misses at that intersection, that is money that is absolutely crucial for safety – for the safety of local residents. I’m not saying it will get near misses or even fatalities down to zero. But I am saying it will help.

JOURNALIST: Minister Whan mentioned that the new TAFE will train workers in net zero industries. However, the Illawarra renewable energy zone kind of has no projects in the pipeline and no estimated delivery for the first 1 gigawatt of renewable power. What sort of demand are you anticipating for these courses, and does it – is this tying up the pace of renewable delivery in the state?

MINNS: No, it doesn’t. I mean, if you look at the rollout of renewable energy zones, we’ve had to do it bit by bit. What we’re doing is transferring 22 terawatts of electricity from coal fired to renewable energy in an incredibly short pace of time. You would know that there’s capital investment, private investment and government investment in the New England, in the central west. Eventually we will get down to the Illawarra, and it’s hugely important for the growth of industry and opportunities for the state.

I can’t promise it tomorrow, but one of the reasons why we’re making this investment for a manufacturing centre of excellence and investment in renewable energy jobs today is that when the capital comes, when the investment comes, we don’t want there to be no workers. So I don’t think any dollar will be wasted today. It will be used tomorrow and I can promise you there are many pressures in the economy, but at the moment employers are desperate for skilled and trained and enthusiastic workers. We can’t stop filling the spots. We’re desperate to get people through them, and I know that there’s jobs waiting upon graduation.

JOURNALIST: Just on the cashless gambling report, what do you make of those recommendations?

MINNS: Look, it’s about a 500-page report and it stretches across a whole bunch of industries. There’s brand new technology and there’s also a cost associated with who’s going to pay. So we’ve made a decision as a cabinet to look at the report, release it to the public so it can be part of the debate, and we’ll have a policy announcement soon enough. But that’s not today.

JOURNALIST: Does the Albanese Government’s decision not to act on its gambling reforms stymie what you’re trying to achieve in New South Wales?

MINNS: No, it doesn’t. And – no. I mean, look, I’ve said before we’ve got our hands full when it comes to poker machine responses in New South Wales. And I need to focus on that before I start offering unsolicited advice to everybody else.

JOURNALIST: You’re installing mobile PFAS water treatment systems in the [indistinct]. Does this mean your government is willing to invest in fixing this issue both for the city and anywhere you identify an issue in regional New South Wales?

MINNS: Well, look, I mean, I think the track record of the government over the last 18 months is that we have brought forward problems and challenges in our economy and in regional communities and genuinely attempted to solve them as soon as we can. We’ve also been really honest about what these challenges are and our capacity to pay for it. I’m in the in a situation – my colleagues aren’t either – where we can go back to the community and grab more money from them in tax. Everybody is tapped out. People are finding it very difficult to pay their mortgages. The – there’s not an option for us to go and squeeze even more money out of households and families and budgets. So we’ve been very clear about what we can and what we can’t invest in. But I don’t think we’ve swept anything under the rug, either.

JOURNALIST: People in the Blue Mountains that they’ve potentially been exposed for decades. Will you do anything for those people on top of this, such as offering or paying for blood tests?

MINNS: Well, I would just refer people to what the Chief Scientist said in relation to this – and that is that whilst the changes to federal regulations for minimum standards for water are about to change in line with what’s recently happened in the United States, in New South Wales we are well within range as it currently sits. And I think that that’s important. I don’t think people should be unnecessarily worried about exposure to forever chemicals and PFAS. But wherever possible we will look to strengthen both testing and the kind of built and fixed infrastructure when it comes to water.

And it’s better today than it has been in generations. I mean, that’s the other point. We are making progress when it comes to the health and safety of drinkable, potable water in our community. It’s far healthier today than it has been for decades. And that will continue to happen as standards rise and investments continues.

So I just don’t want to get the cart in front of the horse and have people believe that there’s exposure when in actual fact water quality is getting better and better and better.

JOURNALIST: There’s a petition before you in Parliament on the need for a drug court in Wollongong, and it’s open till March. But obviously the Drug Summit is on the way [indistinct] inquiry recommended additional drug courts for New South Wales. Would you consider prioritising Wollongong? Is it on your radar for need in this community?

MINNS: It is on our radar, but I think you’d give us – you’d excuse us for saying we’re about to kick off an historic drug summit –

JOURNALIST: But the ice inquiry has been on the table for a long time.

MINNS: Yeah, I appreciate that, but we’re about to get the experts around the tab. The Minister for Health is leading that, and I want to see what people have to say and then the government will produce a comprehensive response back. But I know it’s been an issue that’s been driven locally and there’s been some prominent voice that is have been calling for it. We believe that it’s been up and running successfully in Dubbo, in Newcastle, in Sydney. It would seem logical to do it down here as well, but we’re not ready for an announcement. And we’ll wait and see what the Drug Summit says.

JOURNALIST: What is the –

MINNS: I don’t know if Ryan wants to add to that.

NSW MINISTER FOR HEALTH RYAN PARK: Yeah, just very briefly, Premier. Look, it’s an important part of the solution but, most importantly, what we’re doing over the next two days is historic and important. It’s the first time in 25 years we’ve had a really detailed discussion with this. It’s very different to the way in which the special commission of inquiry operated. And this is actually a lot of people in the room engaging, debating, challenging people like myself and others. And that’s the whole point of it. That’s what our election commitment was. I’m really pleased that we’re delivering it in the first two years – under two years.

JOURNALIST: Are you pushing for a court in Wollongong?

PARK: Well, I’m not pushing for anything because I’ve said from the very beginning that I want to use this as an opportunity to hear firsthand from experts to challenge my views on things, to challenge other views, to listen to different ideas and concepts. And that’s what we’ll be doing over the next two days. I’ve met with some of the representatives from down here around the drug court. I understand that it is an important part of the reform going forward. But let’s have a look and an opportunity to get through the summit, work through some of those issues and then we’ll go from there.

JOURNALIST: What is the timeline for this centre of excellence, the number of potential job opportunities here and positions in innovation and education initiatives

GILES: I might start and Steve will finish. Courses will be up and running from next year. We’re thinking about some of the capital investment will take about a couple of years. So we’re going to get moving very, very quickly. Obviously there are a couple of steps which need to happen – in particular, the partnership with the universities where there’s a process that’s underway. But we want to hit the ground running. Do you want to add to that?

WHAN: Not really.

JOURNALIST: [Indistinct] BlueScope. Have you already booked in [indistinct]?

GILES: Yeah, well, industry is obviously absolutely fundamental to this, and it would be remiss to come here without having that connection to BlueScope.

JOURNALIST: Can you explain what that connection is?

GILES: Well, what this is really all about is building partnerships, instilling TAFE at the heart of vocational education and training, ensuring that we have the capacity here, the people and the material equipment that can enable not just training for today but for tomorrow. What that means in terms of the upskilling that Minister Whan was talking about is working really closely with industry partners like BlueScope to make sure that workers today can upskill to micro credentials so that their existing skill set can be adapted to the jobs of the future, as well as working towards things like the higher apprenticeship, the degree apprenticeship kind of model, that is much more future focused but, again, needs to be effected in partnership with industry.

MINNS: Can I just add a couple more things before we go: firstly, we’re obviously in the midst of intense negotiations with a whole bunch of unions at the moment in relation to employees in the state. I notice that there was comments yesterday from the Electrical Trade Union. We will always sit down with employees the New South Wales Government is responsible for. But can I just say we can’t settle under any circumstances and we can't just hand a blank cheque over to employees, even those that are in Essential Energy because – the reason is because those costs will eventually be passed on to consumers and customers in New South Wales. It won’t even go to the New South Wales balance sheet; it will go straight from the of course of Essential Energy on to the bills paid by energy consumers in regional New South Wales, and potentially [indistinct] on to Ausgrid and Endeavour and Transgrid, leading to higher power prices.

Now, if you listen to the Reserve Bank, one of the leading reasons why inflation has been so stubborn in [indistinct] has been energy costs. If labour costs skyrocket and are passed directly on to consumers, that’s exactly what will happen to energy costs. They will still higher longer. And, as I said earlier in the press conference, we can’t ask mums and dads, regular households in New South Wales to pay any more. Many of them are right on the bread line when it comes to paying off their mortgage and meeting their financial obligations.

JOURNALIST: Can I just ask Minister Houssos a question?

MINNS: Sure.

JOURNALIST: Would you mind, Minister, taking a question?

MINISTER FOR FINANCE COURTNEY HOUSSOS: Sorry, I couldn’t quite hear.

JOURNALIST: Sorry, [indistinct].

HOUSSOS: Yeah, of course.

JOURNALIST: Just do you have any update on the Future Jobs and Investment Authority for the Illawarra? Does it have a chair yet? Are you going to start spending some of that money you’ve been accumulating in its coffers?

HOUSSOS: Yeah, so you would be aware that earlier this year we released our proposed model for the future jobs and investment authorities. That consultation closed earlier this year, and we’re processing that feedback. We received about 90 submissions from the community across the state, including a number from here in the Illawarra.

I’d make this point: this is a genuine consultation process. We are in the process of adjusting our model accordingly. I updated the Parliament a couple of weeks ago, and we’re going to have more to say in the 2025 year about our election commitment.

I’d say this about the challenges that we face here in the Illawarra: they are different to the rest of the state where we have metallurgic – sorry, where we have thermal coal in the Hunter and other parts of the state, whereas here in the Illawarra – and it’s great we’re making a manufacturing announcement today – the metallurgical coal is such a key part of the steelworks and of the broader economy here in the Illawarra.

So we understand the unique challenges that we’re facing here in the Illawarra, and we will make sure that our local Future Jobs and Investment Authority is aware of those and is addressing those challenges going forward.

JOURNALIST: Do you have any update on the future of the Russell Vale mine? It’s been in care and maintenance for months now. There’s no work. It has continuous bad weather which is washing coal wash across the community. What – do you know what’s going on?

HOUSSOS: I’d make this point: the coal extraction has ended on that site, but the work hasn’t ceased. And just because the coal extraction ends doesn’t mean the obligations on the company do either. I’ve certainly heard from my earlier visits to the Illawarra and from my colleagues about the concerns of the community in relation to rehabilitation bonds that are held by the New South Wales Government. We hold those as a last resort. The Resources Regulator continues to work closely with the company to make sure they uphold their obligations in relation to rehabilitation requirements on that site. And they will continue to work with them to uphold those.

JOURNALIST: And do you have any updates on the investigation by the DCCEEW into reports of damage [indistinct] by the [indistinct]?

HOUSSOS: Yes, so, as you say, that’s an investigation that’s underway by DCCEEW. We are taking that seriously. That’s underway. So I don’t have anything [indistinct].

GILES: All right, thanks everyone.