Realside Ovest founder and chief government Julie | Australian Markets
Realside Ovest founder Julie Drago has been elected the Property Council’s native president, promising to champion industrial land amid optimism WA will change into a manufacturing State as soon as again.
Affectionately identified within the sector because the Queen of Sheds for her a long time in industrial property, Ms Drago mentioned the rising degree of automation, robotics and good engineering concerned in manufacturing had helped make WA more aggressive on the world stage.
It was a change from the decades-long development during which WA misplaced rising market share within the face of cheaper labour in Asian nations.
Ms Drago has referred to as on the State Authorities to release more high quality industrial land for the resurging sector, which she mentioned needed massive workshops, sheds, warehouses and factories.
Her optimism comes from latest growth, with ABS information exhibiting employment within the sector grew 10 per cent to 94,851 jobs in 2022/23, from 86,264 solely three years earlier.
Gross sales and repair income in WA’s manufacturing sector is up more than 9 per cent to $75,154 to $68,811 over that period.
“Now that advanced engineering has come in, we can compete again,” she mentioned.
“But we need to be able to cope with the size of engineering workshops and facilities that are required.”
Ms Drago mentioned a transfer in direction of an rising degree of Australian-made items was doubtless and needs to be inspired.
However she mentioned her method was not in response to US President Donald Trump’s growing spherical of tariffs. As a substitute, she mentioned it needs to be inspired to make sure higher certainty over the provision chain and for the impression on jobs.
Her household’s own expertise in manufacturing had led her to change into a passionate advocate for manufacturing jobs, after being compelled to close the household business amid diminishing gross sales 25 years in the past.
In it heyday within the 80s and 90s, her household’s fabrication business had a peak workforce of 800 people and turned over about $30 million a yr on tasks together with the construction of Central Park, Westralia Sq. and work on the North West Shelf.
After the loss of contracts to cheaper offshore labour, they closed the company in 2000 — when employees ranges had been slashed to a quarter and income was down by more than a third.
Ms Drago mentioned she would additionally use her tenure to champion residential housing and to foyer the State Authorities for speedier utility connections.
Final yr Realside was compelled to spend $100,000 on diesel mills and $20,000 on water to construct an industrial project on the Orion Property — half of the Latitude 32 industrial zone — as a result of of delays by utility suppliers.
PCA WA government director Nicola Brischetto mentioned Ms Drago could be a passionate advocate for the broader industry, together with the housing sector.
“She brings enthusiasm and dedication to her new function as Property Council WA president. I do know that we are able to make a actual distinction beneath her steering,“ she mentioned.
Ms Drago takes over from Richard Kilbane of Hawaiian.
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