THS - Tendering & Procurement Practices

Thursday 12 November 2020

Notice of question

Ms ARMITAGE (Launceston) - Mr President, I would prefer not to be asking this question this morning, but I have tried several times without notice to get an answer and I really cannot get a satisfactory answer so the only alternative is to put it on the Notice Paper.

Mr President, tomorrow I shall ask the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council -

With regard to the tendering and procurement practices of the Tasmanian Health Service - THS -

(1) (a) In the instance whereby a Queensland firm, Insync, was engaged to conduct a survey on behalf of the Launceston General Hospital Emergency Department - LGHED - attendees earlier this year, were any Tasmanian firms considered?

(b) If not, why not?

(2) (a) As per question without notice answer received on 10 November 2020, advising that Insync was sourced as part of a quotation process by the THS, were any Tasmanian firms approached to quote for this $12 911 (ex GST) contract?

(b) If not, why not?

(3) (a) Why has the Government indicated that the only alternative to engaging an interstate firm for this service would be to ask Emergency Department staff to conduct a survey rather than exploring the possibility of engaging a Tasmania-based service?

(b) Is this how procurement practices are approached more generally?

(4) Can Tasmanian businesses and service providers have confidence going forward that they will be considered for Tasmanian government departments' and agencies' services provision?

(5) Will the Government guarantee that Tasmania-based businesses will be approached in the first instance for procurement of goods and services and that all efforts will be made to work with them to provide such opportunities?

Mrs Hiscutt - I assure the member that I did take the transcript of your Hansard comments to the Health department -

Ms ARMITAGE - Actually, if the Leader gave the uncorrected proof of that transcript, it was incorrect. It missed out the word 'not'. Instead of 'I did not expect', the uncorrected copy actually missed out the word 'not'. I have corrected it in the Hansard. If you have given them the uncorrected proof, please give them the corrected proof.

Mrs Hiscutt - I will.