An Albanese Labor Government will back Aussie businesses and create more local jobs by rolling out common sense changes to the way the tens of billions of dollars of taxpayers’ money is spent each year in government purchases.

During this pandemic, we have seen the best of Australians supporting Australians. But we’ve also seen some of the holes in our economy exposed.

COVID has made clear that Australia must be a country that makes more things here and supports homegrown businesses and industries.

Labor believes government must do its part to make that happen and ensure that our future is made in Australia, which is why we are announcing our Buy Australian Plan.

Australia has an abundance of talent, resources and innovation. We have workers who are highly respected and sought after all around the world, as well as businesses and entrepreneurs who provide environments for them to flourish in. What we lack right now is a federal government who is willing to back them.

We see no reason why Australian taxpayer dollars should go to London when they can go to Launceston or why we buy from Pittsburgh when we can buy in Perth.

The Australian Government has spent around $190 billion on government contracts over the last three financial years showing that procurement policy is a major economic lever available to drive the economic recovery from COVID-19. 

What’s clear is that the Morrison-Joyce Government is not pulling this lever in a way that maximises benefit to Australian businesses.

An Albanese Labor Government will improve the way Australian Government contracts work, ensuring more opportunities are available to Australian businesses and their employees through our 10-point Buy Australian Plan.

1. Establish a Future Made in Australia Office, backed up by laws that will lock in key elements of Commonwealth Procurement Rules (CPRs) to actively support local industry in taking advantage of government purchasing opportunities
    
2. Maximise opportunities for Aussie businesses in major infrastructure projects
    
3. Open the door to more government work for more small and medium businesses by decoding and simplifying procurement processes
    
4. Establish a Secure Australian Jobs Code to prioritise secure work in government contracts and ensure that government purchasing power is being used to support businesses that engage in fair, equitable, ethical and sustainable practices
    
5. Provide more opportunities for First Nations businesses with a view to maximise skills transfer so that we can get more First Nations workers into long-term skilled work
    
6. Level the playing field by bringing in a Fair Go Procurement Framework requiring those that gain government contracts to pay their fair share of tax
    
7. Supporting industry sectors through the government’s purchasing power
    
8. Use government spending power to take action on climate change and support energy projects 
    
9. Strengthen Defence industries and capability
    
10. Make National Partnerships work to maximise the use of local workers and businesses

Over eight long years in government, the Liberals and Nationals have squandered the opportunities for Aussie business and workers that come from government buying power, but Labor has a plan to change that and put Australians first.

Labor’s Buy Australian Plan is good for Australian businesses, Australian jobs, Australian families, and it’s good for the economy.

Under this plan, we’ll also be ensuring that the government’s buying power is used to maximise opportunities for regional workers and businesses and First Nations workers and businesses that do the right thing by their workers and encourage women into the workforce.

As we as a nation transition out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australians need their government to be on their side.

The Morrison-Joyce Government has pulled the handbrake on the Australian economy for too long and only an Albanese Labor Government can be trusted to rebuild the economy, so it works for all Australians.