A Shorten Labor Government will make sure local companies get a fair chance to compete for regional Defence contracts.

Defence is a major investor in regional Australia. In some regions it is the single largest investor in infrastructure.
 
Local economic benefit is the social licence Defence needs to operate in local communities. Labor’s Defence Regional Procurement Policy will ensure local economic outcomes are a key objective of Defence procurement.
 
Labor will require any contractor tendering for more than $4 million in work from Defence in regional areas to provide a Local Industry Capability Plan. 
 
Labor will require Defence to produce a Regional Procurement Plan ahead of key decisions for regional procurements of more than $10 million, including an analysis of local industry and workforce capability and capacity.
 
Regional procurements over $100 million will be referred to the Minister for Defence to ensure local communities are getting a fair deal from these major projects.
 
Labor will invest in local expertise by appointing Local Procurement Officers in key regions, beginning with Darwin and Townsville. Local Procurement Officers will map local industry capability, advise on appropriate scheduling of work, and be the contact point for local industry with Defence.
 
Labor will establish Local Advisory Groups comprising representatives of local industry and civic leadership to monitor the roll out of Defence investment in the regions.
 
Together, the Local Procurement Officers and Local Advisory Groups will make sure Defence tenders are packaged in a way that allows local businesses to compete.
 
Regional businesses are full of highly skilled people eager to help keep our country safe through Defence industry. Labor’s Defence Regional Procurement Policy will make sure they can.