NT Govt watchdog can’t tell if policy is working

The Government’s NT Buy Local Industry Advocate, Mr Denys Stedman, has given a scathing assessment of the success of the Gunner Government’s policy saying he can’t tell if the policy is benefiting Territory business.

The Government’s NT Buy Local Industry Advocate Denys Stedman has given a scathing assessment of the Gunner Government’s policy, saying he can’t tell if it is benefiting Territory business.

The report is damning of NT Government agencies.

“I am unable to conclude whether the Buy Local Plan has had a positive effect increasing spending by the NT Government with Territory enterprises,” Mr Stedman said in his first annual report.

“I conclude that the optimisation of value for territory outcomes in individual procurement transactions has been inconsistent.”

Mr Stedman said the Government needed to make sure there was increased effort by its departments to undertake more effective contract management and reporting as required under procurement rules and policy.

He detailed a lengthy list of failures in the Government’s “buy local plan” and called for wider and more detailed education of both industry and NT Government staff of the concept of “value for territory”, its benefits, how it is assessed, and its impact on procurement decision making.

He also singled out guidance for government staff on how to assess value for territory.

“Increased consistency and transparency of local content assessment and scoring is needed,” he said.

The Territory Government welcomed Mr Stedman’s frank and honest assessment of its buy local plan.

“That’s exactly why we appointed an NT buy local industry advocate,” a spokesman said. “Mr Stedman’s comments will be acted on.”

Mr Stedman said he wants clear direction to all statutory authorities of how buy local policy intent is to be applied, assessed and enforced in respect to government funding provided to these bodies.

He said he wanted clarification and formalisation of the role of the buy local industry advocate in respect to procurement activities by government-owned corporations.