Questions raised over Tasmanian government contract awarded to job search company SEEK

The Opposition has criticised the Tasmanian government’s decision to award a multimillion-dollar contract to job search company SEEK, describing it as “taxpayer-funded wastage”.

SEEK co-founder and non-executive director Andrew Bassat.

The Rockliff government has come under fire for awarding a $3.4m contract to the online job search company SEEK, with the Opposition arguing that the State Service already has an effective jobs portal and accusing the Liberals of “taxpayer-funded wastage”.

The five-year contract was approved in May and will run until 2029. There is a $1.3m option to extend the contract beyond the end of this period, which would bring its total value to $5.1m.

The brief for the contract is the provision of an “online advertising portal” for the state sector to advertise job vacancies to the public. SEEK’s work would “supplement” the existing jobs.tas.gov.au website, which serves as the main portal for listing Tasmanian government jobs.

SEEK has been awarded a $3.4m Tasmanian government contract to help “supplement” the State Service’s existing jobs portal. Picture: Aaron Francis

SEEK is an ASX-listed company with headquarters in Melbourne, as well as Kuala Lumpur, and is one of the most-viewed job search websites in the country.

It was the only business to bid for the tender.

Labor treasury spokesman Josh Willie criticised the awarding of the contract, saying it was an irresponsible use of taxpayers’ money by the government.

“Why are they spending public funds for a jobs website, when they already have their own, which was designed, and is maintained with public money?” he said.

“Every taxpayer cent matters when the government is set to hand down a budget disaster in September, and $5m is a significant amount of money.

“When cuts are being made across public sector services, this is further evidence that the government has its priorities in the wrong place.”

A Department of Premier and Cabinet spokesman said SEEK would not be creating a new jobs portal for the State Service but would be helping to increase options for government agencies looking to recruit quality staff.

Labor MP Josh Willie has questioned the awarding of the contract to SEEK.

“SEEK provide an online portal allowing organisations to advertise job vacancies both locally and across the world. This supplements our dedicated jobs.tas.gov.au for advertising jobs within the Tasmanian State Service,” the spokesman said.

“As one of Australia’s most visited recruitment sites, SEEK is utilised in addition to jobs.tas.gov.au to provide broad access to jobs available within the Tasmanian public sector in today’s competitive labour market.

“It provides agencies with additional options to reach qualified job applicants, as part of a worldwide search. This contract will assist in bringing more nurses, teachers and paramedics to Tasmania.”

The Health Department launched an international recruitment blitz in April but budget troubles have seen it consider vacancy control measures in order to make savings.