Local opportunity pushed through local content

Capricorn Enterprise is keeping an eye on the fine print in a bid to make the best of more than $4.5 billion of works currently in the region's project funnel. Business and industry groups and local government representatives have banded together under the Queensland Local Content Leaders Network (QLCLN) banner to advocate for local content. They're backing an independent report defining, 'what is local'. Keeping it in the Regions: A better practice model for local content and defining local business was developed in response to the 2018 House of Representatives Standing Committee Inquiry into mining and resource industry support for businesses in regional economies. Capricorn Enterprise CEO, Mary Carroll said the House of Representatives Committee recommendation included a need to clearly define ‘local’. “Based on extensive, independent research, the QLCLN model recognises that a local business comes in many forms and is not only a long-term physical presence in a region,” Ms Carrol said. “QLCLN believe a better definition of a local business ‘…as those businesses making a ‘significant contribution’ to local economic activity’, including businesses which have a significant physical presence in the local area and businesses which are not owned locally but provide goods, services and labour that are primarily produced or supplied within the local area.” QLCLN developed a new six-tiered model of procurement where the priority is on the immediate local or natural economic zone of a region. That the model identified that the priority should always be local first, said Neil Lethlean, Regional Economic Development Manager for Capricorn Enterprise said. “For large purchases in regional Queensland, providing local content opportunities can seem initially challenging. The QLCLN report shows that there are no excuses if you have engaged with the local community and regional economic zones to ensure small and medium sizes businesses in regional areas get a fair go,” Mr Lethlean said. “This model moves the emphasis firmly onto local and regional economic zones to ensure small and medium sizes businesses in regional areas get a fair go,” he said. The key findings include building local business capability and capacity, which is key in driving positive regional development outcomes. The group is now calling on the State and Federal Government to consider adopting of this model. Queensland Local Content Leaders Network is made up of 15 state wide industry and business groups, local government representatives and key industry partners, with the economy advocacy group working to maximise the local benefit of projects. This research culminated in a QLCLN position paper, which is available for download: www.qlcln.com.au

Local opportunity pushed through local content

Industry Queensland

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