Vincent leading buy local push

METROPOLITAN councils should be allowed to give local firms and consultants preference on tenders, says Town of Vincent Mayor John Hyde.

Under the Local Government Act, metropolitan councils cannot give local firms preference. However, regional local governments can.

Mr Hyde said council had called on the WA Government to amend the Local Government Act to let metropolitan councils give local firms preferential treatment.

“It’s discriminatory that country councils can assist their local businesses but the legislation specifically stops metropolitan councils from doing likewise,” Mr Hyde said.

“If a firm or a consultant pays rates in a local suburb, their profits and investment are going to assist local jobs and other local businesses.

“By allowing metropolitan councils the right to decide if they want to give a 5 per cent or 10 per cent allowance in tenders to local businesses, everybody benefits.”

“Interstate and non-local tenderers take profits out of the community, often don’t employ locally and don’t leave corporate knowledge behind,” he said.

Mr Hyde said giving more contracts to local firms helped build urban villages which in turn led to transport, environmental, crime reduction and quality of life benefits.