Only businesses with the highest ethical and labour standards need bother bidding for ACT public sector contracts from now on as the Government’s procurement practices are being strengthened to help provide secure, good jobs for all Canberrans.
Minister for Government Services and Procurement, Rachel Stephen-Smith said new legislation had been passed that would change the way the Government awarded contracts for construction, cleaning, security and traffic management from 15 January 2019.
“The legislation is part of a Secure Local Jobs Package, which will use the ACT Government’s purchasing power to reward businesses doing the right thing and deliver on the Government’s commitment to provide better outcomes for workers,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
She said that under new Secure Local Jobs requirements, businesses tendering for construction, cleaning, security or traffic management work would need to hold a Secure Local Jobs Certificate and meet specific workplace standards.
She said these included pay and employment conditions; insurance, tax and superannuation; health and safety, including training and inductions, and collective bargaining, freedom of association and representation rights.
“Businesses tendering for work in the covered sectors worth more than $25,000 will also be required to complete a Labour Relations, Training and Workplace Equity Plan to meet the new requirements,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“This creates a fairer procurement process for ethical employers and holds to account businesses not meeting their industrial and legal obligations,” she said.
