The West Australian government will spend $9.6 million to convert a minimum security male prison into the state's first drug and alcohol rehabilitation prison for women, but the opposition says Labor is bowing to unions.
Premier Mark McGowan, who made a rock star entrance to the Labor state conference on Sunday with his family as AC/DC's Thunderstruck played, received a standing ovation when he announced the change to the Wandoo Reintegration Facility.
The premier said the 80-bed facility, currently operated by Serco, would return to public hands when the contract finishes in May.
"As part of our Methamphetamine Action Plan, we promised a dedicated rehabilitation prison for women and we are delivering," he said.
Mr McGowan said 60 per cent of prisoners had used meth or amphetamines in the 12 months before incarceration.
"For women, this is 41 times the rate of the general female population," he said.
"At Wandoo, these offenders will be offered the greatest hope of rehabilitation."
The young men currently at the minimum security prison will be transferred elsewhere.
Opposition spokesman Peter Katsambanis said it made no sense given the inspector of custodial services in April found Wandoo was a model of best practice and other facilities, such as Banksia Hill Detention Centre, could learn from it.
"(To) close this prison simply because the union movement is pushing the government to do so is a silly idea that's going to end up making our community less safe," he told reporters.
"What other reason could there be for the government to close this prison except for the fact that they are ideologically opposed to private prisons?"
The premier also announced jobs legislation would soon be introduced to parliament to support small and medium WA businesses to get a bigger share of work on government projects, describing it as a watershed moment.
"Our jobs bill will ensure that my government and every state government that follows will always put WA jobs first," he said.
"We will be making the tender and procurement process clear, interactive and user-friendly."
Mr Katsambanis said legislation was not required.
The premier also announced an increase to penalties for businesses that commit safety offences, which will bring WA in line with other jurisdictions.
Under changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Act, for level four first-time offences the penalties will increase from $500,000 to $2.7 million, and from two to five years imprisonment.
It was the first time in almost a decade that a Labor premier addressed a state conference and Mr McGowan spent a large part of his speech boasting about the March election win and his government's achievements.
Mr McGowan also vowed to continue to fight for a fairer share of the GST revenue carve-up and reaffirmed Labor's commitment to marriage equality.
Highlighting how things have changed for Labor since the election win, the conference was held at a Crown Perth ballroom this year, compared to the previous Ascot Racecourse venue.
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