By Xavier Smerdon
TARNEIT MP Tim Pallas has lashed out at the State Government saying they have no long-term options to solve Wyndham’s employment problems.
Speaking at a sitting of parliament earlier this month, Mr Pallas accused the Liberal Party of maintaining a “pattern of dithering and failing to plan for job creation”.
After commending Star’s Jobs for Wyndham campaign in parliament, Mr Pallas said it was time for the government to look to the future and start providing real work opportunities.
“It’s one thing to talk about it but increasingly I think we need to back up those sentiments of providing employment in the local community with some actions,” Mr Pallas told Star.
“The short term fix of essentially building broad acre housing, I think creates jobs in the sense that it provides jobs for a lot of trades people in the building industry, but it also then generates its own set of problems.”
Mr Pallas said committing to build the Werribee Employment Precinct was paramount to ensuring less people were forced to leave Wyndham for work.
Member for the Western Metropolitan Region, Bernie Finn, told Star the employment precinct was still a major priority for the government.
“Of course it is. For me it is a very bug priority, as is looking after the transport needs of the community,” Mr Finn said.
“What we have in Wyndham and in Werribee in particular is a workforce, it’s a growing workforce, it’s the fastest growing municipality in the country.
“So there’s no shortage of workers there, what we need to do is bring industries into the area.”
