Albo promises Sorell tradie boost during visit to South Tasmania
A tradie training centre and a local jobs hub were two election sweeteners promised by Labor leader Anthony Albanese during his visit to Sorell. FULL REPORT >>
Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A tradie training centre and a local jobs hub were two election sweeteners promised by Labor leader Anthony Albanese during his visit to Sorell.
His visit is part of a rival electioneering campaign against prime minister Scott Morrison, who is also on a promise-making tour of Tasmania ahead of the upcoming Federal election.
Mr Albanese said the current Trade Training Centre in Sorell was severely overcrowded, and needed to be expanded to bolster Tasmania’s workforce.
He blamed Tasmania’s current skills shortage on a lack of funding by the Morrison Government.
“The truth is under the current government, there are at least 70,000 fewer apprentices and trainees than there were in 2013,” Mr Albanese said.
“The growth in this community means that we need a purpose built facility that we’ll be able to deliver for the people of this region.”
Mr Albanese said if Federal Labor won the election they would spend $1 million dollars to build a jobs hub in Sorell and to expand the Sorell Training Centre.
The jobs hub will be run in partnership with Sorell Council, Southeast Regional Development Association, and surrounding councils to get locals into work.
Due to a lack of space, Mr Albanese said Sorell employees were currently resorting to meeting their interviewees at local clubs and other venues.
If built, it would be next to a childcare centre and an emergency services hub which is also being built in the region.
Additionally, Mr Albanese said they were promising 465,000 free TAFE positions if elected.
Member for Lyons Brian Mitchell said Sorell sorely needed better facilities to bolster the local workforce.
“This is just so important for this growing region. It feeds directly into Labour’s program to connect people with work and young people into trades,” Mr Mitchell said.
“I’m so proud of this announcement. I think it will do a lot for Sorell, which is a fast-growing region here in Tasmania.”
Liberal Senator for Tasmania Jonno Duniam said Labor made big promises, but had a poor record on skills and training.
“The facts are between 2011 and 2013 when Anthony Albanese sat around the Cabinet Table, Labor cut employer incentives to businesses that employ apprentices nine times, totalling $1.2 billion and in 2012-13, the number of apprentices and trainees in-training collapsed by 22 per cent, or 110,000,” Mr Duniam said.
“While they claim that they are strong on skills and training, the record of Labor could not be further from the truth.”
Living costs cutting deep for Tasmanians
The rising cost of living in Tassie has cut deep into the hip pocket of Cambridge mum Irene Clohosey.
The mental health worker moved from Ireland to Tasmania in 1998, and over the years has watched her everyday expenses climb relentlessly.
“The cost of living has absolutely gone up, especially fresh produce and the healthier type of food, and it’s so easy to just buy junk food because it’s cheaper,” Ms Clohosey said.
“This [grocery haul] cost me 98 bucks, which’ll do me for the week, but there was a time when it would be 50 bucks, and it really doesn’t seem that long ago.”
Since Ms Clohosey arrived in 1998, Hobart’s Consumer Price Index for food and drink has increased by about 72 per cent.
The Consumer Price Index measures the cost of living and Hobart’s overall CPI currently shows it is the most expensive capital city in all of Australia.
Wage growth has failed to keep pace with the rising costs of living, and in 2021 Tasmanians saw a 1.5 per cent real wage cut, with further cuts for the next four years minimum.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese pointed the finger of blame at the Morrison Government for the rising costs of living in Tasmania.
Mr Albanese said there were a multitude of reasons, including weak worker protections, workforce casualisation, unaffordable childcare, and the housing crisis.
“We need to lift wages, we need to value secure work and include that in the Fair Work Act,” Mr Albanese said.
“We will address these cost of living issues by seeing real wages left by making sure that we have more secure work and by addressing hip pocket issues, including childcare and housing.”
More Coverage
How 24-year-old tradie could afford his first home
Carpenter Josh Thomson is one of 1700 Tasmanians who were able to purchase their first home. Here’s how.
Alleged Ashley offender’s four years on full pay
An Ashley Youth Detention Centre worker accused of multiple child sex offences remains on the public payroll more than four years after being suspended. The government’s response.