Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The AEC is required to follow the Commonwealth Procurement Rules when conducting procurements. These rules require potential contractors to be treated equitably based on their commercial, legal, technical and financial abilities and not be discriminated against due to their size, degree of foreign affiliation or ownership, location, or the origin of their goods and services. This is an important principle that our exporting businesses also rely on when supplying goods and services to overseas markets. These rules contained in our various export agreements ensure that Australian suppliers are not disadvantaged when tendering for government procurement in countries with which we have such agreements in place. I am advised by the AEC that election material procured by the AEC for the upcoming federal election will be printed within Australia.