Bligh was invited to the Commonwealth Business Forum hosted in Perth by WA Premier Colin Barnett, but that didn't stop her spreading the pro-Queensland message.

"On our current known resources and construction projects that have been committed to, we anticipate the need for 38,000 new jobs over the next five years, with most of them in regional areas in the central, north and southwest of the state," Bligh was quoted by ABC Rural as saying.

"This gives the opportunity to not only have a great job but to live in some of the most beautiful beachside cities in Australia."

She said the two states had a lot in common and would invariably end up competing for labour.

"There's no doubt in my mind that one of the biggest competitions across the country in the next few years will be competition for skilled labour in the resources and construction sectors," she said.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in WA rebuked Bligh for the comments, telling the media that poaching workers from WA was not in the nation's interest.

"Raiding Australia's powerhouse economy, which is already short of skilled labour, is not the answer," CCI chief executive James Pearson said.

"The biggest losers will be the employers and workers outside of the mining industry, not just in WA and Queensland, but in the rest of Australia too."

Pearson also took the opportunity to call on the federal government to remove restrictions on migration and to provide tax incentives for local workers moving into the sector.

Woodside chief executive Peter Coleman also weighed into the debate, telling delegates at the forum that a great migration west would be needed to exploit the resources boom.

"A substantial part of Australia's skilled workforce needs to move west if we're to meet the ever growing demands from our region for resources and energy," he was quoted by The Herald Sun as saying.

"Government can play its part by putting in place taxation and industrial relations policies necessary to boost productivity."