Question on Notice Paper - Employment & Tendering practices of TasWater

Mrs Armitage to ask the Honourable Leader of the Government —

With regard to the tendering and hiring practices of TasWater’s Capital Development Office (CDO):

(1)

(a) What are the CDO’s engineering workforce needs and how does it plan to recruit and develop this workforce;

(b) What information does the CDO have on the numbers of engineers needed as it relates to the operations of TasWater;

(c) Are there any diversity objectives including targets or quotas; and

(d) What is the primary source of qualified engineers for the CDO from local employers or from interstate?

(2)

(a) Does the CDO take steps to engage local, Tasmanian-based engineers and engineering firms in their recruitment processes; and

(b) if not, why not?

(3) What is the expected contribution of TasWater and the CDO, as an organization which develops large capital works with significant engineering aspects, to the development of an engineering workforce in Tasmania?

(4) If contracting local businesses remains a priority of the CDO, as the TasWater website states, what percentage of work goes to large, multi-disciplinary firms from interstate?

(5) Can TasWater and the CDO justify the financial cost of hiring larger firms and paying them to undertake work in Tasmania?

(6) How does the CDO assess and maintain high quality competence and capability for their engineers? (7) Does the CDO understand the negative impact that overlooking local, Tasmanian-based engineers has on the engineering sector in Tasmania?