Page 2876 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 29 June 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
Due to the reasons I have just given, I have also moved to delete the word “prioritised” from clause (3)(b). The government will work to establish at least three demonstration social procurements in 2011-12 and report to the Assembly on their progress by June 2012. The directors-generals will be asked to identify forthcoming procurements that may suit a social procurement approach and Shared Services Procurement will liaise with all relevant agencies, including the social enterprise hub, to ensure that there is capacity in the community to meet the government's requirements.
As it reads, clause (3)(e) would require the government to report on the social procurement considerations given to each procurement. The government enters into many thousands of contracts, and it is simply not possible to report on what considerations are given to social outcomes for each of these contracts. Instead, the amendment that I move will require that social outcomes actually achieved through ACT government contracting are reported in agencies’ annual reports.
As well as the amendments mentioned, I have moved to make technical amendments to change the motion’s references to “Procurement Solutions” to “Shared Services Procurement”.
The government fully supports the direction of Ms Hunter’s motion. The amendment I have moved simply seeks to clarify a couple of areas which I have just outlined and make sure that the motion, and the aims and outcomes of the motion, are achievable and practical.
I note that a lot of work has been done across government, in terms of information sessions that have been provided to staff across ACT government agencies. I believe that Shared Services Procurement are doing what they need to do to make sure that we promote social procurement.
Indeed, I think Kevin Robbie from Social Ventures Australia and Mr Mark Daniels from Social Traders have been in to give a number of presentations and workshops on social procurement. They have very substantial experience in this field, and not only in Australia. From my understanding and from feedback I have received from officials, the presentations were very well received by the government. A lot of the issue here is making sure that people are considering these issues when they are developing a tender document. So it is very important that we make sure that those information sessions are getting to the people they need to. From memory, there have been six information sessions provided, including some to the non-government sector. A lot of that information is available on the website around the presentations that have been made.
We are very supportive of this. I will very happily work with members to look at ways that we can further promote social procurement across the ACT government and look for opportunities to use our purchasing power to ensure that we are providing real and meaningful job opportunities for people who find interactions with the standard labour market a bit difficult or alienating. There is obviously some real potential in health,
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video