Builders in race for jobs at venue

A FAR North construction leader believes local tradies will not miss out on jobs with the $176 million Cairns Convention Centre expansion.

Master Builders Queensland Far North regional manager Sharon Vella said she did not think new best practice principles for $100 million-plus State Government jobs would force local companies out of the race.

Initial estimates suggested the Cairns Convention Centre upgrade would support around 570 full-time jobs in the construction sector.

Cairns Chamber of Commerce president Nick Loukas aired concerns in yesterday’s Cairns Post that local subcontractors would be priced out of work because of the high cost of wages outlined in the best practice policy.

But Ms Vella said she was confident locals would “get the work”.

“How Lendlease pays people is not our problem but the policy stipulates that locals have to be engaged,” she said.

LNP deputy leader and treasurer Tim Mander said the Palaszczuk government had “completely lost touch with local workers”.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk isn’t supporting local jobs,” he said. “Contracts are now at risk of being awarded to interstate workers, because the Palaszczuk Labor government is owned by the trade union bosses.

“Instead of caving into the unions, the Premier should stand up for more local jobs.”

The Queensland Procurement Policy establishes a framework that maximises the benefits delivered through procurement.

It’s first aim is to “apply a local benefits test for all significant procurement, and supporting secure and fair employment outcomes”.

It also aims to ensure that for each procurement opportunity, at least one regional and one Queensland supplier, is invited to submit a quote or tender and allows agencies to procure “outside of whole-ofgovernment supply arrangements for regional and remote locations”.