AT A PUBLIC hearing in Canberra today, industry and business advocacy groups will have their say on new rules for the Australian Government’s $59 billion procurement budget.

The Joint Select Committee on Government Procurement is considering how best to implement revised Commonwealth Procurement Rules.

The revised rules, which came into effect on 1 March 2017, require Commonwealth officials to consider:

• whether products or services being procured comply with Australian standards for goods and services;
• suppliers’ adherence to labour regulations, OH&S and environmental standards;
• the economic benefit of the procurement to the Australian economy; and
• meeting national and international obligations under trade and other agreements.

Committee Chair Senator Nick Xenophon said the revised Commonwealth Procurement Rules aim to increase the competitiveness of Australian businesses when they bid for Australian Government contracts, particularly against their international counterparts.

“The new rules require Commonwealth officials to consider how a procurement can benefit the Australian economy. This levels competition between domestic and international businesses when it comes to supplying the goods and services Australia needs,” Mr Xenophon said.

“However, it is crucial that the new rules are implemented effectively. It is essential that benefits to the Australian economy can be assessed efficiently and quickly without increasing red tape for businesses or government agencies.”

“This public hearing is the first in a series, in which the Committee will seek the perspective of industry, government agencies and the community on the best way to apply the rules.”

A public hearing program and inquiry Terms of Reference are available on the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details: 4pm - 6pm, Wednesday 29 March, Committee Room 2S1, Parliament House, Canberra

This hearing will be streamed live at aph.gov.au/live.

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PARLIAMENT’s Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit will hold a public hearing tomorrow for its inquiry into Commonwealth infrastructure spending, based on two recent reports tabled by the Auditor-General: ANAO Report No. 14 (2015–16) relating to the East West Link Project, and ANAO Report No. 38 (2016–17) into the WestConnex Project.

Committee Chair, Senator Dean Smith, said that infrastructure projects can be large and nationally significant undertakings, offering the potential for important economic and social benefits. As a result, departments need to provide sound advice, actively protect the Commonwealth’s interests, and obtain value for money for taxpayers.

“The Auditor-General has examined the processes supporting the funding approvals for two recent road projects: WestConnex in Sydney and East West Link in Melbourne. The audits provide important insights into the quality of advice supporting infrastructure funding decisions and how departments are managing key risks through payment arrangements and agreements.”

“The Committee will be discussing the findings of the audits with the ANAO, the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development and the Department of the Treasury. The Committee will also discuss the progress made by these departments toward implementing ANAO recommendations,” Senator Smith said.

The JCPAA is the Parliament’s joint public administration committee. The Committee scrutinises the governance, performance and accountability of Commonwealth agencies, and has the power to inquire into all expenditure of Commonwealth money.

Further information about the inquiry can be accessed via the Committee’s website.

Public hearing details: 9:00am - 10:30am, Wednesday 29 March, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

ANAO Report No. 14 (2015–16) Approval and Administration of Commonwealth Funding for the East West Link Project
Australian National Audit Office
Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development
Department of the Treasury

ANAO Report No. 38 (2016–17) The Approval and Administration of Commonwealth Funding for the WestConnex Project
Australian National Audit Office
Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development
Department of the Treasury

This hearing will be streamed live  at aph.gov.au/live.The hearing program is available from the Committee website.

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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THE Queensland Resources Council welcomes the announcement of ‘Project Ruby,’ the Shell Australia/QGC joint venture, that will employ hundreds of people, and inject new gas supply into the east coast gas market.

QRC Chief Executive Ian Macfarlane said the announcement was yet another sign that Queensland was getting on with business.

The ‘Project Ruby’ development in the Surat Basin underpins 350 new and existing jobs, which is good news for the local community, and good news for Queensland’s gas supply,” Mr Macfarlane said.

“The QRC is pleased that Queensland is leading the way when it comes to working to address the problem of the east coast gas shortage.”

Up to 161 new wells will be drilled in 2017 and 2018 in QGC’s existing tenements in south-west Queensland.

“This significant milestone for the QGC project is also a vote of confidence in Queensland’s onshore gas industry,” Mr Macfarlane said.
 
“Importantly, this is an investment into regional Queensland, where state and local governments and farmers support the gas industry, resulting in massive economic benefits for local and state governments as well as farmers and rural and regional communities.”

www.qrc.org.au

THE House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy will hold a roundtable public hearing on Thursday for its inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid.

The Committee is conducting an inquiry into this important topic and has been receiving wide-ranging feedback from the Australian community via the online questionnaire created for the inquiry. The questionnaire can be accessed here.

In this initial roundtable the Committee is looking forward to hearing from the key players about the history of the electricity grid in Australia, how it developed to its current operational state, and the current challenges being faced by the grid in meeting modern demands.

Committee Chair, Andrew Broad MP, said “It’s becoming increasingly clear that the electricity grid in Australia is entering a significant period of transition. There are new sources of electricity, such as wind and solar, being fed into the grid, and consumers are demanding more information about how and why their electricity is being generated and distributed.”

“The Committee is conscious that there is a lot of work being done in this space currently. The government, regulators, operators and consumers are at a pivotal point in the future of energy in Australia, and a modern electricity grid is essential. There is a role for the community and lawmakers in shaping this change and modernisation. This Committee needs to be well-informed to ensure that its contribution is meaningful and appropriate,” Mr Broad said.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Pat Conroy MP, said “To kick off this inquiry, the roundtable being conducted on Thursday will help set the scene for this inquiry and help us —and the community—understand how the grid got to the point it did today. We will also be looking to identify some of the challenges with the current grid, which the Committee can investigate further and address throughout the inquiry.”

The Committee will hear from:

• The Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Energy
• Australian Energy Regulator
• Australian Energy Market Commission
• Australian Renewable Energy Agency
• the Clean Energy Finance Corporation
• Australian Energy Council
• Energy Networks Australia
• Energy Consumers Australia
• CSIRO
• The Australian National University – Energy Change Institute.

Public hearing details: 10:00am - 12:00pm, Thursday 30 March, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be webcast at aph.gov.au/live. 

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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