Advocacy Highlights

I like to think that policy is the ultimate ‘challenge defining’ opportunity, where you get to re-think old paradigms, be solutionsfocussed, and find a way to improve the future. Advocacy is putting a voice to that process. Already 2022 has demonstrated how Consult Australia’s voice is needed to ensure government policy doesn’t slip into entrenching past problems.

To kick-off the year we released our Federal Election 2022 Priorities and our Pre-Budget Submission and have had interest from government Ministers as well as Shadow Ministers on our proposed solutions, including Minister Dutton’s Office.

Knowing the capacity constraints are biting businesses of all sizes, we have been busy meeting with the Department of Home Affairs and the industry outreach officers that specialise in the infrastructure sector and in the Global Talent Program. We will be sharing contact details via Latest News on our website if you are looking at employeesponsored visas. We also continue our engagement with the National Skills Commission on priority occupations.

We know that the collapse of Probuild has impacted some of our members – please contact me if it has. In response we have been increasing our pressure on government, including through the media, calling for reform to how construction operates in Australia (whether it be through government procurement or private investment).

We had a very positive meeting with the Office of the Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman – who has been championing insurance issues and understands how the market pressures lead to such collapses. We also maintain our strong relationships with the insurance industry to help our advocacy.

In addition to all of that, we’ve managed to make several written submissions on: National Mental Health Commission’s National Workplace Initiative – Theory of Change and Evaluation, Commonwealth Treasury – ACL Consumer Guarantees, National Workplace Skills Priority List and Productivity Commission’s Productivity Inquiry.

This is just a quick overview of our activity at the Commonwealth level, remember to watch our Policy Pulse videos, and find out more about what we are doing at the local level from the team below. See also later in this issue our Small Business Highlights, Roundtable Round-Up and Spotlight on Government Forums. •

Kristy Eulenstein

Head of Policy and Government Relations

NSW

1) Our engagement with Transport for NSW continues, with the establishment of a regular quarterly forum and an invitation for Consult Australia to participate in a working group on sustainable procurement. We have also met with the new Director of Commercial Procurement and Strategy to talk collaborative contracting. Please contact Alison if you have feedback on TfNSW’s Project Streamline.

2) The Department of Customer Service has invited us to participate in a Home Building Act review roundtable as well as a working group on modular building risk to create guidance material for industry.

3) We continue our focus on NSW Treasury, especially on the Supplier Input Panel (SIP) project, with members concerned about the suggestion of capped rates (which were previously introduced for management consultants). Any feedback you have please contact Alison.

Alison Kirk

VIC

1) Consult Australia has a new Manager for Victoria, Mark Rogers. Please feel free to contact Mark with your contract conundrums, insurance issues etc.

2) We are keen to hear from any members impacted by the collapse of Probuild. We know this could have a devastating impact on your business where you are owed money and the future of projects being unknown. Contact Mark for support.

3) In response to member feedback, we have initiated discussions with the Department of Treasury and Finance on tendering and contracts.

Mark Rogers

SA, Tas & the Territories & A/g WA

SA

1) Following our years of advocacy, the Department of Treasury and Finance has agreed to amend the Treasurer’s Instruction 18 – so that construction projects over $165K will no longer be exempt from procurement reforms. The exemption meant businesses had to factor in disproportionate levels of project risk, purchase additional insurance and waste time and cost on protracted contract negotiations, for certain government projects, but not others.

NT

1) The NT government has introduced mandatory vaccination conditions into all new contracts, with severe penalties if suppliers do not comply. The conditions extend beyond supplier personnel who attend construction sites, applying to any person who does any sort of work on an NT government project. While our members support the public health outcomes of increased vaccinations in the community, this sort of contractual obligation could have significant impact on business.

2) Our positive engagement with NT Power and Water Corp continues, with a meeting late February to discuss the pipeline of work and the skills and capacity issues to assist industry, align with Power and Water Corp’s needs.

TAS

1) The Department of State Growth raised with Consult Australia a concern about design errors on projects. After discussions between Consult Australia members and the Department it was determined many of these were not in fact design errors, but the lack of clear briefs and scoping. To work through these issues, we are holding monthly meetings to realise better outcomes for all.

2) Building Tasmania’s Future is a memorandum of understanding between members of the Tasmanian Building and Construction Roundtable to work collaboratively to deliver a sustainable infrastructure pipeline. Once executed, Infrastructure Tasmania will lead the implementation of the MOU and measure progress against the agreed actions.

ACT

1) A new government forum has been created bringing together Consult Australia members, Major Projects Canberra and the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Design Directorate. This group will meet quarterly to collaborate, share information such as industry best practice and government priorities as well as discuss challenges being experienced across government and industry.

WA

1) We have been engaging with the WA government to be clear on the capacity constraints in the industry and also the availability of consultants across the market to do early design work for projects where construction needs to be delayed.

2) We are collaborating with other key construction industry groups to support a proposal for an industry sustainability framework.

3) The WA Committee is keen to encourage new participants, if you would like to get involved, please contact Jan for more information.

Jan Irvine

QLD

1) We held a successful workshop with Gold Coast City Council on improving agreements. Focus areas included insurance, contract conditions and collaboration. Thanks to all members who have provided information on their struggles with these contracts, including members of the QLD Committee and the Liability & Contracts Roundtable who attended the workshop. We will be holding further discussions on contract conditions.

2) After a positive meeting with the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training on skills shortages, Multicultural Affairs Qld has requested a meeting. In partnership with Engineers Australia, we will continue to explore initiatives on migrant skills and recognition in engineering.

3) At the first Infrastructure Industry Steering Committee for 2022 (a government forum involving contractors as well as consultants) Consult Australia suggested as a key priority, cultural reform. This would include the role of the Queensland government as client, particularly within procurement, to find some specific actions for change.

Kristine Banks

Consul Australia Major Sponsors:

CBUS | DELTEK | UNIT4