The Federal Opposition has announced that if it is successful at the forthcoming election it will require Government procurement contracts to favour local businesses.
Unveiling its Local Projects, Local Jobs plan, the Opposition’s shadow Ministers for finance, industry and resources said the policy would ensure more government investment was spent on local businesses and local jobs: “not multinationals that don’t care about locals and don’t pay tax in Australia”.
They said the Commonwealth spent $50 billion every year on goods and services and “how the government spends that money, how it contracts and who it contracts matters.”
They said billions more was spent on infrastructure, energy and resource projects with multinationals locking out local businesses to bring in their own suppliers.
“If local small and medium businesses can do the job competitively, then the job should be done locally,” the shadow Ministers said.
They said if bidders on large government contracts were unable to show how they would support competitive local business and local jobs, then they shouldn’t be getting contracts.
“It’s simple – no local jobs, no contract,” they said.
“While value for money for the taxpayer will continue to be paramount, a Shorten Labor Government will put greater emphasis on buying local, employing locals and supporting economic activity in our regions.”
The next Federal election must be held by 18 May this year for half of the Senate and on or before 2 November for the House of Representatives and Territory Senators.
