WA'S PILBARA REGION HOSTS REGIONAL SKILLS SUMMITS

Minister Madelaine King met Pilbara industry leaders in Karratha yesterday.

The Commonwealth Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King, is meeting key Pilbara business leaders this week to discuss opportunities to grow the local skilled workforce, in two Regional Skills Summits.

In Karratha yesterday and Port Hedland today, the Summits are intended generate practical actions and new and innovative ideas for a local action plan.

Around 20 people met in Karratha yesterday, including representatives of local government and the region’s biggest employing industries.

Ms King said housing concerns were most prominent.

“For people who work in really important services like early education and childcare and health services, nurses, teachers, hospitality workers can’t afford to stay and live in great towns like Karratha,” she said. “So that’s the number 1 take away but there are other liveabilty issues, cost of living issues.”

Ms King sais she will take feedback from the event back to a larger summit in Canberra in September.