The Daily Telegraph today published a story stating that:
…all NSW Government departments and agencies will be forced to protect Australian jobs by giving preference to locally made products.
This would include stationery, uniforms, cars and even trains and building contracts. And to make local bids more competitive, a 20 per cent discount will be applied to Australian products when comparing the cost with overseas bidders.
What can one say? This will lead to NSW residents being subject to higher taxes and charges than necessary, and likely to lead to increased prices due to decreased competition to supply the NSW Government. One wonders how managers in the NSW Government will attempt to run their organisations efficiently given this protectionist policy.
The NSW Treasurer agreed that this could lead to increased costs, but that this was ok given that it would “help local jobs”. The NSW Treasurer should answer the question about why Australia ever reduced tariff barriers, given that the tariffs helped support local jobs at higher costs to taxpayers and consumers.
“All NSW Government and state-owned corporations (SOCs) are to give preferential treatment to Australian-made goods under the new Local Jobs First plan,” Mr Roozendaal said.
“The NSW Government is putting NSW jobs first. Every year, NSW Government agencies spend billions of dollars buying the things they need to deliver services to the people of NSW.
“This plan tips the balance in favour of local businesses, providing them with greater opportunities to expand and sell to government.”
The Local Jobs First program has been endorsed by Unions NSW.
While protectionist sentiments are understandable in the present environment, they should be resisted. It would be better for tenders should be won by businesses offering the best product, regardless of where the business is located.
June 16, 2009 at 11:45 am
My argument! Who is running the State Government? The Premier and his ministers, or the Union. Hey NSW put you there TO represent NSW and to act in NSW’S best interest. Where are your duty of care. NSW DID NOT VOTE FOR THE UNION to DICTATE TO you what to do. A VERY SAD! SAD! SAD! day for me to realise that NSW are extremely heading to horror CRITICAL SITUATION. What’s going on in our State Government proved uncertainty to NSW. It sound like the State Government is endangering the future of the people of NSW. All these billions of dollars of federal stimulus cash and come up with this BUDGET!!!!gosh!!!! What is going on? Are you hiding the enormous and darkest deficits in NSW’s HISTORY. Tonight’s budget!! I bet we will be blindfolded and let to believe that we are with less deficit in the next financial year BUT It will hit us hard like a tsunami with billions gaps for this current financial year. YES, What saved us was the stimulus cash. NSW!!!! We are definitely on SHAKY GROUNDs.
June 16, 2009 at 1:23 pm
While protectionist sentiments are understandable in the present environment, they should be resisted. It would be better for tenders should be won by businesses offering the best product, regardless of where the business is located.
I TOTALLY AGREED WITH YOU and how I wish that will be the case but the question is, will the best business be awarded with the contract? STILL I HAVE LOST FAITH in the system, too many many times. Loopholes we have experienced and seen yesterday, to day and will be more everyday.
Who knows the Almighty ALONE will be the only one will know. As one senior staff member stated any scheme to solicit bribes was easily able to bypass corruption safeguards where he works.
Are we going to turn away from the Chinese????
our Australian economy relies on our dealing with the Chinese and vice versa. A very childish decision. It might sound good to the voters and on paper but I do not think SO IN REALIATY,in the long run and to NSW.
Why should we go and fight other people’s war and give away money on overseas Aids and come up with such a NSW Government introduces state preference NSW protectionism! ARE WE DOING TO CHINESE WHAT WE WANT CHINESE DOING TO US!!!!
What about those Rich Chinese Students who are studying in Australia. They bring a lot of Dollars to Australia and many other CHINESE businesses THAT BENEFIT AUSTRALIA.
In the end an individual will benefit ALONE and I am sure NSW PEOPLE WILL BE OUT IN THE COLD. LOOK AT OUR PETROL AND WOOLWORTHS. I am sure there will be NSW people out there WILL LOST EMPLOYMENT DUE TO THIS. MR PREMIER YOU should work on Preventionism THAT WILL COST YOU LESS. IF YOU WORK ON PREVENTION IT WILL QUIDE YOU SLOWLY BUT SURELY.
Who will get all thESE contractS??? with the WORLD CRISIS MELTDOWN I will welcome and support them ONLY if it will go to the best businesses offering the best product, regardless of where the business is SITUATED. I doubted IN ADDITION WITH a big QUESTION MARK? if it will bring NSW PROSPERITY OR WORSE OFF.
A REAL story to share with our readers. IN a housing NSW complex in Punchbowl. About 2 years and the place will not be managed PROPERLY by the contractors. Most times the lawn was almost as high as one year old kid. THE COMMON AREAS Lights WILL BE ALL OUT, THE CONTRACTOR Never ever MOB THE STAIRS or do his job and the gardening. REGARDLESS OF all the continue complaint by the residents. Obviously regardless not doing the work the contractor were still paid. I heard from some resident that the previous Chinese family lost the contract were the best. Why not keep a good thing going and all of a sudden lost the contract and put a new contractor that did nothing!!
Make me wonder! What can one say? These NSW Government introduces state preference – NSW protectionism! will lead to NSW residents being subject to higher taxes and charges than necessary, and likely to lead to increased prices due to decreased competition to supply the NSW Government.
One wonders how managers in the NSW Government will attempt to run their organisations efficiently given this protectionist policy. POLICY, POLICY, POLICY THAT MAKE SENSE AND WILL MEETS NSW NEEDS: BRING IT ON AND WHAT WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE AND NSW PEOLE TAXPAYERS ALONE WILL BEAR THE CONSEQUENCES.