TRANSCRIPT: Quickstep Announcement , Bankstown Airport
DATE: 2 February 2011
Jason Clare: Thanks Phillip, Premier, welcome to Bankstown. The Mayor of Bankstown, Tanya Mihalik, our great member for East Hills, Alan Ashton, Ram Ramkumar from Northrop, Ian Thomas, who’s here from Boeing and Paul Johnson from Lockheed, ladies and gentlemen welcome to what is a fantastic announcement for Bankstown and a fantastic announcement for Bankstown Airport and a great announcement for the people of Western Sydney.
This time last year we had some pretty bad news when we were told Boeing was moving out of their facility here at Bankstown and taking with it about 350 jobs, to Melbourne.
This time last year you might remember unemployment here in Bankstown was over 11%, so it hit us pretty hard. But we’ve got some good news today. Unemployment here in Bankstown is still higher than the national average it’s about 8 or 9 %, and an announcement like this is going to really help. It means an extra 400 jobs for Bankstown and investment of up to half a billion dollars. And half a billion dollars and 400 jobs in a place like Bankstown, really makes a difference.
It also means that Bankstown will now be part of the development of next generation fighter aircraft – the joint strike fighter, which is being built for the United States, for the United Kingdom, for Australia and six other counties.
Some of us with long memories might remember that this place was once called RAAF Bankstown built in 1940. The US Air Force used this base from 1942. It was an important part of our defences in WWII. And what this announcement today means is that Bankstown and Bankstown Airport will now be part of the future of the Australian Air Force and the future of our defences.
So it’s great news. Great news for Bankstown. Thank you Premier for the support of the State Government, working hand in glove with the Federal Government to bring Quickstep to Bankstown. To bring them from Western Australia to Western Sydney and bringing with it 400 new jobs for the people of Western Sydney.
It’s terrific news and I’m glad to be here.
Thank you
