Skills Shortages
Threat to boom times; Call for more skilled migrant labour
BY TERRY SIM
A SHORTAGE of skilled labour could limit development of south-west projects estimated at $8 billion, a skilled migrant program manager said this week.
The projects were expected to generate 4400 construction jobs and 800 ongoing permanent positions, Great South Coast Growth Through Skilled Migration project manager Phil Hoggan said, but the lack of labour in the region was a potential threat.
":Currently skilled labour availability is a factor that may restrict or limit the potential development and timing of these projects,": he said.
The infrastructure projects planned for the region included wind farms, gas-fired power stations, mineral sands and gas field development and blue gum harvesting.
Warrnambool operations such as Midfield Meat, dairy processing and future development of the South West Healthcare campus would also be affected by skilled labour availability, Mr Hoggan said.
Great South Coast councils - Warrnambool City, Moyne, Southern Grampians, Corangamite and Glenelg and Colac-Otway - would work with the State Government to determine true labour needs, numbers and timing for each project, he said.
":Some of the projects simply cannot happen concurrently because of the substantial labour needs.":
Last month the Warrnambool City Council sought State Government support to lobby the Federal Government for a regional dispensation for the south-west as an area of high economic activity and investment.
This would enable more overseas skilled workers to be employed when all local resources were exhausted, he said.
":The figure of 4400 construction jobs suggests that our available local labour resource will be rapidly taken up by these projects.":
Mr Hoggan said the removal of heavy vehicle drivers as an eligible skilled migrant occupation by the Federal Government would impact on the south-west.
An extra 280-300 heavy vehicle drivers would be needed in the south-west to service the blue gum harvest from next year. But the same skilled drivers were also needed to drive milk tankers for the expanding dairy industry.
Mr Hoggan expected competition and ":poaching": of labour between the dairy, blue gum, general transport and farming industries.
":We'd like heavy vehicle drivers reinstated . . .": he said.
