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Election 2016: Wyatt re-election sees Hasluck MHR create history

Montana ArdonThe Advocate

HASLUCK MHR Ken Wyatt has made history for the fourth time in his political career after retaining Hasluck in the Federal Election.

Mr Wyatt made history in 2010 as the first Indigenous Member of the House of Representatives when he was elected as the Federal Member for Hasluck.

He was re-elected in 2013, then became assistant minister for health in September last year, again making history as the first Indigenous member of the House of Representatives to be promoted to the Federal Executive Council.

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Having been elected again at the weekend, he has landed back in the record books as the first minister to be elected for Hasluck for a third term.

Mr Wyatt sat down with www.communitynews.com.au ahead of the election to discuss his vision for Hasluck, which included youth employment, the drug ice, mobile phone towers

and aged care.

The former District Director for the Swan Education District said the importance of providing education and training for youths was high on his list.

“We’ve got to give young people in the area opportunities,” he said.

“The Commonwealth Government is looking at pathways; a program where young people on the dole go to training sessions to learn about how to present themselves at work, how to be diligent; how to keep a job.

“We then place them with real businesses, and give the business a subsidy which encourages them to employ that young person.

“And we grow them; if the employer’s happy they will keep them, and they have gained some experience.”

His Government announced last month Hasluck would share in $20 million towards ice rehabilitation.

Mr Wyatt said tackling the drug was a difficult but vital task.

“We are seeing this issue across the whole electorate of Hasluck,” he said.

“Not just in one particular area. It’s a piece of work I want to do and want to focus on.”

The lack of phone coverage in the Hills paired with the high fire risk was another concern.

“The high fire risk on the Darling Scarp is worrying,” Mr Wyatt said.

“What worries me are the mobile phone black spots in the Hills.

“If we have a hot week and there is a build up of heat, the undergrowth in the bush area through Mundaring Shire is of concern.

“We saw that in the Parkerville fires; it was an intense fire due to undergrowth.

“I want to see a connection of mobile phone towers so a safe environment is created for people that live there, so if there’s a fire they get sufficient warning and can get out.

“There’s a priority for that.”

Fixing the shortage of local aged care is also on the agenda.

“I look around me and what saddens me is to see people married for 50 years being separated,” Mr Wyatt said.

“You have to go to Salter Point, Rockingham or Joondalup at the moment, as we have big waiting list.

“And that’s a long way from here. I will be fighting to gain more beds and more providers to grow their services in area, so couples can stay near each other as they grow frail.”

Mr Wyatt said in the past four years, $1.4 billion had been spent on road infrastructure in the electorate.

“This includes the upgrades of Berkshire Road in Forrestfield and Northlink,” he said.

“As well as the medical school in Midland.

“That’s a major jewel in the crown because we will have people coming to work and studying in Midland.

“Even though the primary school of medicine will be at Curtin on campus, we will have all the final year nursing, allied health and medicine students here.”