Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When the Shoalwater Bay military upgrade was announced, I promised our business community that I would be fighting to make sure that local industry would benefit. Just last week, the Minister for Defence announced the Local Industry Capability Plan pilot. Under this program, local industry will have more opportunities to participate in major defence infrastructure projects as part of a pilot program. I'm extremely pleased that one of these pilot projects will be the $135 million Shoalwater Bay training area redevelopment. Under this program, our government will be delivering on that promise, and I thank Minister Payne for her efforts in releasing this pilot program.

Upcoming defence investment will be a game-changer for our region, but local businesses want to know that they will see a direct benefit and will receive priority consideration. This announcement has been extremely well received in my electorate, and I thank the Minister for Defence for recognising that we can and should do more to maximise these opportunities.

A broad range of products and services are required, but working with Defence can be complex. I am encouraging local businesses wanting to tender to start preparing and understanding how the tender process for Defence contracts works. I would particularly like to thank Capricorn Enterprise, the Capricornia Business Advisory Alliance and the Centre for Defence Industry Capability for all the work they are doing to support these businesses.

Already, the announcement is being well received. Chairman of the Capricornia Business Advisory Alliance, Grant Cassidy, said, 'Minister Payne is to be congratulated and fully supported for her strong position for local regional businesses and their collective capabilities being recognised in this pilot program. I am sure our local Central Queensland businesses will stand united behind Minister Payne and local member Michelle Landry in applauding and fully supporting this trial to ensure it is successful, so that it can be rolled out permanently in all future defence projects.' Economic Development Manager with Capricorn Enterprise, Neil Lethlean, has welcomed the new direction being taken to engage local capability and future upgrade works at Shoalwater Bay military training area, committing the resources of Capricorn Enterprise to ensure that regional businesses are well qualified to engage in future ADF work packages. I wish the pilot program success, and I look forward to seeing this evolve into the defence industry participation policy in the first half of 2018.