MP blast for tender rules

LEICHHARDT MP Warren Entsch has condemned the Palaszczuk government’s “Buy Queensland” policy as populist and simplistic while outlining his own plan to shore up the state’s jobs.

In an opinion piece, Mr Entsch said there would be retaliation from abroad if the State Government imposed its planned 30 per cent price advantage for local providers tendering for government contracts.

“To take a one-eyed internal view of global trade is evidence of the Queensland Government’s short-sightedness,” he said.

Instead, he said the issue required creative thinking.

“The Queensland Government needs to look for better ways of engaging local businesses and provide them with opportunities that also work for our competitors,” Mr Entsch wrote.

“One example would be to break down larger contracts that are often given to accredited tier one companies, which are generally nationals and multinational businesses, into smaller projects.

“This would give tier two, three and four companies, which are generally your local providers, an opportunity to access components of these larger contracts.”

Mr Entsch said he and the Federal Government had tried to do that with construction of the Peninsula Development Road in the Far North.

“By adopting a simplistic and populist method of adding 30 per cent tariff on international companies, you not only create an environment for retaliatory action, you also subject Queensland taxpayers to a possible 30 per cent increase in services at home,” he said.

“As I said ... the Buy Queensland campaign is only about buying votes ahead of the next state election, rather than looking for genuine opportunities for Queensland businesses.”

Mr Entsch urged Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to reflect on the policy, just as her government had been urging him to cross the floor against the Federal Government’s denunciation of it.

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