A Disgraceful Pens And Paper Policy
The Victorian Treasurer has been asked to explain why a State Government policy actively discriminates against regional businesses.
From 1st July, the Victorian Government’s Purchasing Board procurement policy requires contracts for supplies are only made with companies on the mandated State Purchase Contracts (SPC) lists.
An excessive process is required to get on the SPC. It can take 18 months.
There are currently no regional or rural businesses on the list.
Current suppliers not on the list will lose their contracts.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, said it’s appalling.
“Not one single regional or rural business was on the list – not one business in my electorate of Western Victoria. It is extraordinary,” she told the Victorian Parliament.
“I have always argued this centralised iron grip on procurement would be used to disadvantage smaller companies which are simply unable to fill woke diversity quotas. I believe this policy will have long-term consequences for businesses outside the tram tracks of Melbourne.”
It is part of the Andrews Government’s Social Procurement Framework which demands that companies it deals with have employment quotas for indigenous, female, disadvantaged, people with disabilities and such. The Framework applies a 30 per cent weighting to tenders that meet the tick-a-box regime.
All 35 government departments and 125 government agencies can only use the mandated suppliers on the SPC list for non-construction procurement.
These include contracts for things such as pens, paper, notepads, graphic design work, travel, recruitment and electrical goods such as photocopiers and phones.
“Right now, I would like the Treasurer to explain how he will remedy this immediate – and huge – loss for regional firms of all sizes,” she said.
“This policy makes a mockery of decisions such as the Ballarat and Bendigo GovHubs.
“The Government promotes them as great assets for these regional cities – and yet everything inside those buildings – including hundreds of the jobs – have come straight out of the city.
“Not one pen, or pencil, or chair or table will be sourced from a country business.
“Regional suppliers don’t get a look in or place at the Woke table.
“The bureaucracies get bigger, the city-woke-tick-a-box suppliers get bigger and every small business on the streets surrounding these GovHubs get nothing.
“This is a dangerous and damaging policy of which the Andrews Government should be ashamed and about which regional Victorians should be angry.”
16 June 2021