The Federal Government has announced it has accepted all 21 proposals and recommendations of October's Jobs Forum, saying it will introduce stronger Australian Industry Participation rules for the country’s major private sector and government-funded projects.

 

The Minister for Industry and Innovation, Greg Combet, said the Government will release new requirements aimed at improving  opportunities for local suppliers and service providers to win contracts on large construction, resources and infrastructure developments.

 

The Government has now accepted all 21 recommendations from a Working Group established to report on reforms to Australian Industry Participation requirements. The Working Group included stakeholders from industry, unions and the WA Government.

 

Mr Combet said the Federal Government will now:

  • Extend Australian Industry Participation requirements to projects funded by Australian Government grants of more than $20 million;
  • Work with State and Territory Governments to ensure local industry has full, fair and reasonable opportunities on projects receiving significant federal funding;
  • Increase scrutiny of the implementation of Australian Industry Participation Plans (AIP Plans), particularly for private sector projects valued at more than $2 billion that seek tariff concessions from the Enhanced Project By‑law Scheme (EPBS);
  •  Require major projects to publish summaries of AIP Plans, including details on how they will seek and use information on Australian industry capabilities and how they will communicate opportunities to local suppliers.

 

 

 

“This will improve the opportunities for Australian manufacturers, construction firms and service providers to win work on some of the biggest projects in the country,” Mr Combet said.

 

Formal guidance material for grant agreements and grantees, procurement officers, tenderers and EPBS applicants will be available from 1 July 2012. EPBS applicants will have a further three month transition period.
 
More information is available at www.aip.gov.au