The WA Government has opposed a union and industry campaign for more manufacturing and engineering jobs from the state's booming resource and mining sector.

The Liberal Government last night flagged its opposition to the 'Skilled Local Jobs Bill', which was introduced into parliament after pressure from the WA Jobs from WA Resources campaign.

AMWU WA Secretary Steve McCartney said the Government was not taking the concerns of the community seriously.

“We were hoping to have a real debate about how more skilled work can be secured for our major projects. Unfortunately this Government seems more interested in taking the side of overseas shareholders and big miners rather than local workers. 

"After rejecting Labor's bill to bring manufacturing back into local workshops, the Liberal/National Government released its own hastily written 'local content' policy, which contained grammatical errors and made a mockery of the issue," Mr McCartney said

"The Barnett Government claims most projects have up to 85% local content, including the Sino Iron Ore project, which is importing everything from the mechanical plant and equipment down to the concrete footpaths"

Mr McCartney said the claims were even more ridiculous, because the projects had already been condemned as being some of the worst offenders in Western Australia.

He said the AMWU will continue to campaign for WA Jobs from WA Resources and will be holding the government to account for its decision to oppose real action on local jobs.