One month after offering to pay Australian manufacturers to make personal protective equipment NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has spent $1 billion buying the gear from overseas sources – including China.
In what was billed as a “call to arms” for local manufacturers, Ms Berejiklian released a tender for Australian companies to make the PPE equipment domestically.
Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell has revealed that despite having more than 1800 business apply for the job, the NSW Government went on to buy $1 billion worth of PPE from overseas sources, including China.
Ms Berejiklian said at the time the equipment would go towards protecting frontline workers. “The NSW Government has purchased almost $1 billion of personal protective equipment to help contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect frontline emergency workers, medical staff and the public,” she said.
“While NSW has successfully flattened the curve for now, we know the battle against this global pandemic is still a reality and we’re not taking any chances.” Mr Clennell said he was waiting on the government to confirm how many local contractors had been commissioned yet.
“Now I’m awaiting a NSW government statement on how many local contractors have so far been commissioned,” he said. “They say a few actually have but admit there is not actually much of a need for PPE at the moment after their team, NSW Health and Mr Olympics Rod McGeoch looked to procure these other supplies.
Too bad for the 1800 local contractors who put their hands up.”
What chance have Australian manufacturers and employers got if the very people who encourage the nation to shop locally refuse to do the same with our tax dollars.
#MakeItAustralian #BuyItAustralian #BetterPolicy #BetterFamilies #BetterNation
