LOCAL PROJECTS. LOCAL JOBS: LABOR’S NATIONAL PROCUREMENT PLAN

A Shorten Labor Government will boost local jobs by ensuring more government contracts and major projects are delivered by local businesses, bringing significant economic benefit to communities in Australia.

Under a Labor Government’s Local Projects, Local Jobs plan, more government investment will be spent on local businesses and local jobs – not multinationals that don’t care about locals and don’t pay tax in Australia.

The Federal Government spends $50 billion every year on goods and services – how the government spends that money, how it contracts and who it contracts matters.

Billions more are spent on infrastructure, energy and resource projects around Australia. Locals are locked out of work as multinationals bring in their own suppliers.

Labor believes that if local small and medium businesses can do the job competitively, then the job should be done locally.

If bidders on large government contracts can’t show how they’ll support competitive local business and local jobs, then they shouldn’t be getting contracts. It’s simple - no local jobs, no contract.

Local companies – those based in the town, city and region where the government is spending funds, should get better access to contracts so they can employ local people. .

Catherine King, Federal Member for Ballarat said that Local Projects, Local Jobs was particularly important in regional areas such as Ballarat to support economic activity.

“By creating local jobs Labor’s policy will have a flow on effect for the whole local economy.  Employing locally encourages spending locally, this can benefit many types of business.”

“The Ballarat region is a fantastic place to live and work and I am excited that Labor is looking beyond the capital cities and the multinationals to encourage growth in the regions.”