Buy Queensland Roadshow heads to Cairns

The Palaszczuk Government has called on Cairns businesses to find out how to tender for government work, with a Buy Queensland procurement strategy roadshow session to be held in Cairns.

Treasurer and Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt said the session, which would highlight how local businesses would receive preference for government jobs, would be held on Thursday, 21 September 2017 from 12.30pm in the Trinity Room of the Holiday Inn Harbourside, Cairns.

“Buy Queensland is great news for Far North Queensland businesses, and will open up increased opportunities for local businesses to win government contracts,” Mr Pitt said.

“Cairns work should go to Cairns businesses wherever possible, and this strategy delivers that by making sure that ‘local’ really means local.

“I’d strongly encourage local businesses to get online and register to attend the FNQ session to find out how Buy Queensland will benefit you.”

Member for Barron River Craig Crawford said the Palaszczuk Government’s new procurement policy will define a “local supplier” as a business that maintains a workforce within a 125km radius of where the goods or workers are needed.

“Local businesses will now receive a local weighting of up to 30% on any tender lodged for government work in the Cairns region, because local jobs should go to local workers wherever possible.

“Queensland’s 414,000 small businesses employ 44 per cent of the state’s private workforce, and I know many of our Far North Queensland businesses are family businesses who deserve a level playing field.”

Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni said the Palaszczuk Government spends more than $14 billion a year on essential goods and services for Queenslanders, and another $4 billion building and maintaining the state’s infrastructure – roads, schools and hospitals.

“Buy Queensland will make a real difference to the lives of every Queenslander,” Mr de Brenni said.

“But that is only a part of the picture. The Buy Queensland strategy will directly benefit the Cairns community because it ensures that ‘local’ actually means local.

“When the Queensland Government spends taxpayers’ money on a government contract, we want that money to stay in the local community, helping local businesses to grow and supporting employment for local workers and apprentices.

"By harnessing this investment in local business and local communities, we are providing people with the confidence to invest in new equipment and hire more staff.”

Under the Buy Queensland policy, local suppliers will receive a local weighting of up to 30% on any tender lodged for a significant procurement.

The policy will also sets out the following:

• Require at least one local or regional supplier, and one other Queensland based business, to be invited to quote or tender for every procurement opportunity offered;
• For significant infrastructure projects $100 million and above, require the use of local sub-contractors and manufacturers where the local capability and capacity exists;
• Significant projects will be required, where possible, to expend 15% on apprenticeships – up from the current 10%;
• Deliver a more visible pipeline of opportunities for every Queensland business;
• Reduce complexity to assist Queensland industry prepare for government tenders, and provide resources to help them tender;
• Exempt business from the pre-qualification system for building contracts and Information and Communication Technologies projects under $1 million;
• Businesses tendering for government procurement contracts will need to have a permanent workforce in Queensland.  They will need to offer fair wages, conditions and superannuation, and have good workplace health and safety records.

Under the Palaszczuk Government:

• 115,400 new jobs have been created across Queensland;
• The trend unemployment rate in Queensland is down to 6.0% from 6.6% under the LNP;
• The Government continues to work with industry and other levels of government to create jobs and opportunities for Queenslanders across the state;
• The Government’s State Budget will directly support about 40,000 jobs and programs like Buy Queensland, Skilling Queenslanders for Work and Back to Work are creating and supporting local jobs.

To register for the Cairns procurement information session, visit www.hpw.qld.gov.au/Procurement/ProcurementStrategy/Events/Pages/default.aspx

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Media Contacts:

Tristan Douglas (de Brenni) 0447 164 197

Scott Forbes (Treasurer) 0419 945 546