Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

The government did not consult with the South Australian Industry Advocate but it did take into account the submissions received and the evidence presented during the Joint Select Committee on Government Procurement's hearing process. The government stands by its response to the committee's report and does not support the introduction of additional requirements for the Commonwealth or business within the Commonwealth procurement framework that would lead to additional costs and red tape.

Recommendations to this effect, including the reintroduction of an environmental-sustainability-procurement-connected policy and supply chain reporting for businesses, would introduce onerous reporting requirements, increase the costs of contracting and reduce the necessary flexibility and procurement processes as covered in recommendations 3, 4, 7 and 10. It is worth noting that Australian suppliers are already well represented in Commonwealth procurement statistics, with businesses with an Australian address winning approximately 94 per cent of contracts, by number, in 2015-16.