LNP procurement policy spruiker calls it “fake”

The Liberal National Party’s government purchasing policy has been further undermined by its spruiker-in-chief, who describes procurement policies as “fake”.

Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni said LNP Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett has railed against using government procurement policy to support economic development and job generation.

“When the LNP voted against our Buy Queensland policy in the Parliament, Stephen Bennett was the loudest opponent,” Mr de Brenni said.

“Stephen Bennett not only attacked our comprehensive Buy Queensland policy, but he attacked any form of government procurement policy.”

On 7 September, Mr Bennett told the Parliament:

“This policy is a fake policy providing false hope in trying to re-engineer our society and trying to use government procurement to cure social issues along the way.”

Mr de Brenni said the Government’s Buy Queensland policy provided genuine hope for local businesses and their employees, and it had been lauded by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland as “an absolute shot in the arm for small business”.

“Tim Nicholls and the LNP need to come clean today - do they support Stephen Bennett’s claim that procurement policy is ‘fake policy’?” he said. 

“The LNP policy is a fig leaf.  It’s a Clayton’s policy – the policy you have when you’re not having a policy.  It’s a two-page political stunt.”

“The LNP bought trains from India and boasted that they were ‘half price’.  The Indian trains aren’t fake - we’re fixing them.”

“And in suddenly pretending to have changed his beliefs, Tim Nicholls is now faking it for the camera." 

Buy Queensland

From 1 September, 2017, the government’s new procurement policy defines a “local supplier” as a business that maintains a workforce within a 125 kilometre radius of where the goods or workers are needed.

If you are a local supplier, the government will apply a local weighting of up to 30% on any tender you lodge for a significant procurement.

The policy also:

• Applies across Government including GOCs.
• Is overseen by a special compliance unit to ensure implementation.
• Requires 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 which is relevant to the kind of goods and services they produce.
• Requires the use of local contractors and manufacturers in significant Queensland Government infrastructure projects, worth $100 million and above, wherever possible.
• 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.

ENDS

Media Contact: Tristan Douglas 0447 164 197