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Improving Commonwealth procurement

THE Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit has tabled its report on Commonwealth Procurement based on the following Auditor-General’s reports:

  • No. 1 (2016-17), Procurement of the International Centre for Complex Project Management to Assist on the OneSKY Australia Program;
  • No. 13 (2016-17), Delivery of Health Services in Onshore Immigration Detention; and
  • No. 16 (2016-17), Offshore Processing Centres in Nauru and Papua New Guinea: Procurement of Garrison Support and Welfare Services.

Procurement is core business for Commonwealth agencies and achieving value for money is expected to be a central consideration.

Committee Chair Senator Dean Smith said the Committee had made a number of recommendations in its report to improve procurement management by the agencies under review.

“Effective Commonwealth procurement will continue to be a strong focus of the Joint Committee for Public Accounts and Audit in its role in scrutinising the governance, performance and accountability of Commonwealth agencies,” Senator Smith said.

The report makes nine recommendations, including that:

  • Airservices Australia provide the Committee with a post-implementation progress report for each of the audit recommendations; report back on a number of matters to demonstrate its improved management of probity in procurement; and report back on implementation of the audit findings of Audit Report No. 46, Conduct of the OneSKY Tender;
  • the Department of the Finance consolidate procurement guidance as it relates to corporate Commonwealth entities, to ensure such entities more strictly apply the Commonwealth Procurement Rules;
  • the Australian National Audit Office consider a third-stage audit into the conduct of the OneSKY tender by Airservices and any associated matters; and a performance audit of the next Department of Immigration and Border Protection procurement of garrison support and welfare services; and
  • the Department of Immigration and Border Protection provide the Committee with a post-implementation progress report for each of the audit recommendations in Audit Report No. 16 (2016-17); and report back on its implementation of appropriate performance monitoring of the contractor for the provision of health services in onshore immigration detention and implementation of a risk-based remediation plan.

 Interested members of the public may wish to track the Committee via the website. 

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Hearings on several public works projects

THE Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works will hold public hearings in Canberra tomorrow to examine three proposed projects:

  • Construction of the Treloar E Large Technology Objects Store to accommodate the planned acquisition of large technology objects in Mitchell, ACT.  The estimated cost of the project is $16.1 million (excluding GST).
  • Delivery of a Satellite Ground Station to provide anchoring of Wideband Global Satellites. This is part of a multi-phase project to provide the requisite range of strategic and tactical satellite communications capabilities. The estimated cost of the project is $33.9 million (excluding GST).
  • Building refresh and fit-out of Discovery House in Woden, ACT.  The estimated cost of the project is $39.7 million (excluding GST).

 

Public hearing details: 9:15 am to 2:30 pm, Friday, 15 September 2017, Committee Room 1R3, Parliament House, Canberra 

9.15 am – 10.00am:     Australian War Memorial
11.15am – 12.00pm:     Department of Defence
1.15pm – 2.00pm:        IP Australia
2:30pm:                          Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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New financial dispute resolution a landmark initiative

THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) has welcomed the Government’s landmark move to establish a new one-stop-shop to resolve small business disputes with banks – the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA).

Ombudsman Kate Carnell said the initiative addressed a key recommendation from ASBFEO’s Small Business Loans Inquiry and would significantly improve access to justice, especially for capital-intensive enterprises.

AFCA will consolidate the existing Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), the Credit and Investments Ombudsman (CIO) and the Superannuation Complaints Tribunal (SCT). 

A small business will be able to seek resolution of a dispute where the credit facility is up to $5 million and potentially receive compensation up to $1 million.

Ms Carnell said the FOS was currently limited to considering disputes of not more than $500,000 arising from a credit facility no higher than $2 million.

“This excludes many small businesses,” she said.

“Small businesses do not have the money or time to challenge banks through the court system and there is a significant power imbalance between banks and small businesses.

“Small businesses do not have the financial capacity to hire expert legal advice to help them overcome this disadvantage.”

The new one-stop-shop will be able to make binding determinations.

Ms Carnell said the higher compensation cap should incentivise banks to resolve disputes through internal processes before progressing to the AFCA.

“The Government’s proposed model will provide a genuine alternate dispute resolution option in a forum where the needs of small business are understood,” she said.

“It will save time and money by significantly reducing the need for litigation.”

Ms Carnell also welcomed the proposed transitional arrangements and the Government’s commitment to consult on AFCA’s terms of reference.

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Orange to host first regional public hearing

ORANGE will host the first regional public hearing of the Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation. 

The Chair of the Committee, Dr John McVeigh MP said, “the Committee is looking forward to kicking off our public hearing program in Orange.  This will be the first of a series of public hearings we will hold around the country.  The Committee wants to engage with regional and rural towns about the issues affecting them, and to learn more about best practice for the development of sustainable and engaged regional communities.”

“Orange is a good example of a regional town with a mix of public and private decentralisation, as well as regional development initiatives driven by the local community.  ” Dr McVeigh said. 

 

Public hearing details: 10:00 am to 2:30 pm, Monday, 18 September, Moresby Room, Ex-Services’ Club, 231-243 Anson St, Orange, NSW 

10.00 am: Orange City Council
10.45 am: Regional Development Australia Central West
11.30 am: Centre for Economic and Regional Development
12.15 pm: Lunch
1.00 pm: NSW Department of Primary Industries and NSW Rural Assistance Authority
1.45 pm: Orange Business Chamber
2.30 pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live.

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Australian Energy Market Operator to meet committee

THE House Environment and Energy Committee will hear from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) at a public hearing tomorrow for the inquiry into modernising Australia’s electricity grid.

The Chair of the Committee, Andrew Broad MP, said the Committee was looking forward to hearing from AEMO about measures to ensure the security and reliability of the electricity system, both in the short term and as the system continues to evolve.

“As the market operator, AEMO is on the front line of the changes underway in the electricity grid. The Committee is keen to hear from AEMO what measures it thinks will encourage more dispatchable capability on the grid,” Mr Broad said.

The Committee will also hear from the Energy Efficiency Council, which represents stakeholders with experience in energy efficiency and related issues, such as demand management.

The Deputy Chair of the Committee, Mr Pat Conroy MP, said the Committee was looking forward to hearing about the role of demand management in achieving a more reliable and affordable electricity system.

“Demand management is an important consideration for the Committee as it examines how to ensure a responsive modern grid,” Mr Conroy said.

As part of the inquiry, the Committee is encouraging members of the community to share their views on the electricity system via an online questionnaire.

Further information about the inquiry, including submissions from organisations appearing at the hearings, is available on the inquiry website.

 

Public hearing details: 9:45 am to 11:15 am, Thursday, 14 September, Parliament House, Canberra

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

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APRA to face parliamentary scrutiny

THE House Committee on Economics will scrutinise the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), as part of its review of the performance and strengths of Australia’s financial and banking regulator.

The Chair of the committee, David Coleman MP, said ‘the hearing will enable the Committee to scrutinise APRA on its performance and operation, including the adoption of “unquestionably strong” capital benchmarks for the four major banks, and further measures to reinforce sound residential mortgage lending practices. 

The committee is also likely to scrutinise APRA on other activities relating to the banking sector, including its inquiry into governance and culture at the Commonwealth Bank.

APRA is the prudential regulator of Australia’s financial services industry. It oversees banks, credit unions, building societies, general insurance and reinsurance companies, life insurance, private health insurance, friendly societies, and most of the superannuation industry.

Public hearing details: 11.15 am to 1.15 pm, Wednesday 13 September, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra 

11.15am – 1.15pm: Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)
1:15pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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House Economics Committee to scrutinise ASIC

THE House Committee on Economics will scrutinise the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), as part of its review of the performance and operation of Australia’s corporate regulator.

The Chair of the committee, David Coleman MP, said ‘the hearing will provide the Committee with the opportunity to scrutinise ASIC on its role in promoting investor and consumer confidence, and in enforcing Australian corporate law.’

ASIC regulates Australian companies, financial markets, financial services organisations and professionals who deal and advise in investments, superannuation, insurance, deposit taking and credit. ASIC is empowered to protect consumers against misleading or deceptive and unconscionable conduct affecting all financial products and services, including credit.

 

Public hearing details: 12.15 pm to 1.55 pm, Thursday 14 September, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra

12.15pm – 1.55pm: Australian Securities and Investments Commission
1:55pm: Close

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

 Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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Taxes and small business—easing the burden

THE House Committee on Tax and Revenue will hear tomorrow from the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman about the factors that can drive a small business into the cash economy.

Chair of the Committee, Kevin Hogan MP, said that the Committee’s inquiry into taxpayer engagement has heard that small business operators can struggle to meet tax obligations through no fault of their own.  

“Small businesses can struggle with their tax obligations because larger businesses fail to pay them by agreed times. Phoenix activity, where a company goes bankrupt to avoid paying taxes as well its contractors and suppliers, is another major contributor to small business stress and insolvency,” Mr Hogan said.

The Ombudsman’s Office was established to assist small businesses and family enterprises should they find themselves involved in dispute with clients, other businesses or Commonwealth government agencies. The Ombudsman also plays a key role in reviewing government policies and regulations to ensure these are ‘small business friendly’.

“In April this year the Ombudsman released a report on payment times and practices which clearly showed the relationship between late payments, small business stress and tax avoidance. The Committee values the opportunity to explore these findings with the Deputy Ombudsman and to discuss the relatively high level of small business non-compliance recorded by the ATO,” Mr Hogan said.

 

Public hearing details: 4.15 pm to 5.15 pm, Wednesday 13 September, Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra.

The hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live

Interested members of the public may wish to track the committee via the website. 

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CropLogic to list on ASX today

CROPLOGIC LIMITED (ASX: CLI) (CropLogic), the predictive decision support system for agricultural growers, has received its official admission letter from the ASX, and is set to list on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) today, September 12, 2017 at 11am (EST).

The Company is also pleased to announce that with the market’s impressive response to the Company’s Prospectus offering, announced on 14 July, and further to the announcement on 16 August 2017, that the offer was fully subscribed, offers in excess of $9 million were received through the IPO process. As such the Company closed the offer with the fully subscribed target of $8 million through the issuing of 40 million ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.20 per share, with $5 million of the capital raised underwritten by Hunter Capital Advisors.

This follows previous successful capital raisings including the oversubscribed $2 million Pre-IPO round as announced on 10 May 2017 with a total in excess of $11 million being raised in the preceding 12 months.

Jamie Cairns, Managing Director of CropLogic, said: “CropLogic’s ASX listing is the foundation for our international growth plans, and we are delighted to have witnessed such a tremendous response from the market. Hunter Capital Advisors have certainly delivered for us after initially closing out our pre-IPO raise in such a concise manner and then the recent IPO process subsequently being oversubscribed.

“The funds raised will be used to grow the business, fund market development, research and development and provide a healthy level of working capital.”

The Initial Public Offering (IPO) comes after previous funding rounds that have been well received with CropLogic announcing in May 2017 that it had oversubscribed its $2 million pre-IPO funding round in preparation for the Company’s anticipated listing on the ASX.

CropLogic’s listing on the ASX also follows the Company’s recent announcement of the acquisition of North-West USA-based agronomy services company, Professional Ag Services Inc. The acquisition provided CropLogic with strategic access to the lucrative North American agricultural industry, and an established immediate channel to further the Company’s presence and develop grower and processor relationships in the three key agricultural states in the USA.

ABOUT CROPLOGIC

Building on technology developed over 30 years out of The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, a New Zealand Crown Research Institute, and over 600 field trials in four nations, the CropLogic system gathers field data, via in-field sensors coupled with satellite communications, before processing that through its proprietary technology to provide decision support to growers to help them improve the productivity of their crops.

Successful trials of the CropLogic system have been completed on potatoes in China, USA, Australia and New Zealand with four of the major multinational potato processors. Further to this, CropLogic is poised to start trials of the CropLogic system in other commodities such as corn, wheat, soybean and cotton.

CropLogic currently serves approximately 60,000 acres of high-value crops in the USA.

http://www.croplogic.com/

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The strategic importance of Australia’s Indian Ocean Territories

STRENGTHENING Australia’s strategic commitment to its Indian Ocean Territories whilst supporting the economic and social wellbeing of local communities was the key focus of a report released today by the Joint Committee on the National Capital and External Territories.

The Committee’s inquiry examined the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Territories, located off Australia’s northwest coast.

Committee Chair, Ben Morton MP, said, “The inquiry canvassed the changing regional security environment and security contingencies in the Indian Ocean region—home to growing economies and an important trade route for Australia. The region is witnessing growing competition among growing powers, and these rapidly expanding interests in the region require a deeper understanding of this dynamic strategic environment.”

The Committee recommended that the Australian Government support the development of both defence and multi-purpose infrastructure in the region and strengthen Australia’s multilateral engagement with its Indo-Pacific partners. The Committee also recommended an inquiry at least every five years that considers the Indian Ocean Territories and Australia’s engagement with the Indian Ocean region more broadly.

Mr Morton said that there was an underlying need for the Australian Government to engage more actively with local communities on Christmas Island and in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

As part of the inquiry, the Committee had the opportunity to meet with and hear from local residents who live and work in the communities on Christmas Island and in the Cocos Islands.

In highlighting the Committee’s recent visit to the Indian Ocean Territories, Mr Morton noted, “It was clear that the local communities are interested in contributing to the decision-making process regarding the Australian Government’s activities on the Islands”. This, he said, was one of the themes of the Committee’s report.

Mr Morton was particularly appreciative of the contribution to the inquiry by local communities, and noted that “the Committee is immensely grateful to the communities on Christmas Island and in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands for their warm welcome, openness and constructive dialogue during our visit.”

The Committee’s report and further details about the inquiry—including submissions, terms of reference, and the public hearing transcripts—can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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Driving Tourism in Northern Australia

THE Parlimentary Northern Australia Committee will hold a public hearing in Canberra on Thursday, 14 September as part of its Inquiry into Opportunities and Methods for Stimulating the Tourism Industry in Northern Australia.

The Committee Deputy Chair, Warren Snowdon MP, said drive tourism was an important sector of the domestic tourism market.

“Each year thousands of Australians from the southern states spend their holidays driving the northern Australian roads, significantly contributing to the regional economy,” Mr Snowdon said.

“The progressive sealing of more connecting roads in Northern Australia will provide tourists towing caravans and camper trailers with increased access to tourism venues across the region. Are local councils and local tourism operators 'tourism-ready' for a potential influx of drive tourists?” he asked.

The Committee will hear evidence from the Australian Caravan Club, Big4 Holiday Parks, and the Australian Hotels Association (NT).

 

Public hearing details: 9:05 am to 10:45 am, Thursday 14 September, Committee Room 1R6, Parliament House, Canberra

For the hearing program, please see the committee's website.

The hearing will be broadcast live (audio only) at aph.gov.au/live

Further information about the Committee’s inquiry, including submissions and the terms of reference, is also available on the committee’s website.

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