Hansard debates

Mrs McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:44): My question is for the Treasurer and concerns the Victorian Government Purchasing Board’s new centralised procurement policy. Local and regional businesses will lose out on a huge volume of government work from 1 July. The requirements apply to all 35 government departments and also to 125 government agencies, who must now use a mandated list of suppliers for all non-construction procurement. The Victorian Regional Chambers Alliance revealed last month that not one single regional or rural business was on the list—not one business in my electorate of Western Victoria. It is extraordinary. I have always argued this centralised iron grip on procurement would be used to disadvantage smaller companies which are simply unable to fill woke diversity quotas and still believe this will be a long-term consequence. Right now I would like the Treasurer to explain how he will remedy this immediate and huge loss of business for regional firms of all sizes.