Queensland businesses receive large rewards from Unite & Recover Plan
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Small-to-medium businesses are receiving huge benefits from government agencies under the Queensland Government’s Unite & Recover Plan.
Procurement Minister Mick de Brenni said the Unite & Recover Plan required agencies to spend at least 25 per cent of their procurement dollars with the state’s small to medium size businesses.
The Plan’s targeted percentage was met in the last six months of 2020, reaching 28.53 per cent and putting $2.67 billion back into Queensland’s businesses.
“That’s more than 28 cents in every dollar, putting us well on track to meet the next milestone of 30 per cent in 2022,” Minister de Brenni said.
The increase of percentage was caused by higher investments in sectors such as Building, Construction and Maintenance, Transport Infrastructure and Services and Information and Communication Technology.
Minister for Small Business Di Farmer said the procurement targets were just in time to help small businesses to get through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That money certainly helped keep smaller operators open for business and Queenslanders working,” Minister Farmer said. “It’s just so important our small businesses get their fair share of government procurement because that drives increased investment and employment right here in Queensland.”
Minister Farmer said the Government has funded CCIQ officers to assist small businesses with government procurement processes and will also work alongside small business owners to increase the assistance and information available.
Along with Queensland’s On-Time Payment policy, the Government is committed to continually improve its collaboration with small businesses within the state.
Gold Coast family-owned XO2 is one of the many businesses that benefited from the procurement policies. XO2 CEO David Blamire said the Buy Queensland approach had helped his business at the local level.
“We believe in local manufacture; we believe in Australian made. We believe in jobs and we believe in profits here in our region,” CEO Blamire said.
Minister de Brenni said the Government changed its way of dealing with business to make it easier for SMEs to work with them.
“We match buyers with suppliers through the COVID-10 Supplier Portal and the COVID-19 Procurement Team assists government agencies,” Minister de Brenni said. “Investing Queensland taxpayers’ money back into Queensland and keeping Queenslanders in jobs will always be our priority.”
Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.
