Back our local businesses or bail from Leichhardt is the message Barron River MP Craig Crawford has for Warren Entsch.

Mr Crawford today called on the Federal MP to cross the floor in Canberra on Monday and vote against the Turnbull Government’s planned motion to condemn the Palaszczuk Government’s new Buy Queensland procurement policy.

Federal Brisbane MP Trevor Evans has put forward the anti-Queensland motion which criticises the Queensland Government’s push to level the playing field for local businesses, boost local jobs and stimulate the economy. The motion will be debated in the House of Representatives on Monday.

“If Warren Entsch can’t put people and businesses in his own electorate first, then he needs to bail from his seat of Leichhardt,” Mr Crawford said.

“If Mr Entsch fails to cross the floor on Monday and vote down the motion, then he must clearly explain to the electorate why he doesn’t support local businesses and local jobs.

“I’m proud to be part of a government that backs local business and supports local jobs and the economy.

“Our government’s new Buy Queensland policy is all about levelling the playing field to give all local businesses the opportunity to benefit from the government’s multi-billion dollar procurement spend each year.

“It’s a sensible policy which puts Queensland business and jobs first and has been welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland as ‘an absolute shot in the arm for small business’.

“It also ensures that when the Palaszczuk Government invests money in our local communities, that money stays here to stimulate the economy and support local jobs.

“In Barron River we have the $152 million Smithfield bypass road project which will support 115 full-time jobs over its duration.

“Cairns has many local companies and contractors capable of working on this significant project.

“The question for Mr Entsch and the Turnbull Government is: Do they support jobs in Leichhardt or Louisiana?”

From 1 September 2017, the 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 suppliers will receive a local weighting of up to 30% on any tender lodged for a significant procurement.

The policy 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.

 

House of Representatives Motion

 

MR EVANS:  To move—That this House:

(1) condemns the Queensland Government for its statement: ‘the State Government would no longer be constrained or bound by free trade agreements’;

(2) notes that:

(a) Australia’s trade agreements guarantee Queensland businesses preferential access to Chile, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States markets;

(b) Queensland’s exports were worth $62.6 billion to the state’s economy in 2015-16;

(c) in April 2017, the Queensland Treasurer stated: ‘one in five jobs in our state relies on our export performance’; and

(d) the Queensland Government’s decision to not abide by its international commitments threatens the access Queensland exporters have to international markets and the jobs that rely on them; and

(3) calls on the Queensland Government to honour its commitments and abandon its anti-trade position to ensure that Queensland export businesses do not lose access to these crucial global markets.

 

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