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Monday, November 16, 2009

More transparency for NSW government contractors

The NSW Minister for Industrial Relations has announced a new website will publish information revealing the industrial practices of all government contractors from next year, as part of its revamped policy on procurement.
“We want to make sure that the work practices of all government suppliers are fair and open to public scrutiny,” Mr Hatzistergos said. “In the interests of open and transparent government, we have committed from next year to disclose details of the industrial relations practices of all our suppliers.”
The website will publish comprehensive information on the industrial relations practices of suppliers including: Names of each government contractor and subcontractors including ABN and ACN; Work undertaken as part of the contract; Industrial instruments (awards etc) that apply; Locations of work; Details of former breaches of employment laws by the contractors.
Published information will not include details that are commercial in confidence, risk safety or security, compromise other Government contracts or are prohibited by law.

Sounds a good move and may be an Australian first?

Contractors to NSW government agencies are facing other transparency changes. Those who provide services to the public on behalf of an agency will find contracts entered into after the Government Information (Public Access) Act due to commence early in 2010, will include a provision requiring certain information to be provided to the agency immediately , if it has been requested by an applicant. Contracts entered into by NSW local authorities with private sector providers for $150,000 or more will be subject to disclosure requirements for the first time under the GIPA Act. Local councils and other agencies will be required to publish online a register of contracts. A link between contract details and the industrial relations disclosures-if this is to be a separate site- would be handy.

Searchability will be an important issue in the new era of proactive publication of government information

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous11:18 am

    Let’s see how all of this is actually implemented.

    The NSW Government appears to be gasping for air on the brief life that comes with the issue of an announcement. All of these announcements need to be implemented.

    It’s the botched implementation of things which has let the NSW Government down.

    (Hmm, did all of that make sense? You get the idea!)

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