Procurement from First Nations businesses in Queensland grew $118 million last financial year

New data about goods and services provided to the state government has revealed Queensland’s procurement from First Nations-owned businesses went up 36% in the last financial year.

The government’s procurement from Indigenous vendors in 2021-22 grew by $118 million over the previous financial year.

A total of 535 First Nations businesses supplied goods and services in 2021-22 worth about $440 million. This was up from $322 million in 2020-21.

“That includes 149 First Nations enterprises who did business with the Queensland government for the first time,” employment and small business minister Di Farmer said in a statement.

Farmer added as the capability and capacity of First Nations businesses to meet government needs grew, their ability to serve the private sector was also expanding.

“[This] increases opportunities for economic participation,” she said.

In 2017 the government launched the Queensland Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Procurement Policy (QIPP), designed to help businesses navigate tender processes.

Craig Crawford, Queensland’s minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander partnerships, said the policy aimed to engage more First Nations suppliers and create a “level playing field”.

“The government invests billions of dollars on a wide range of goods and services in our state every year, and it’s important that we invest those funds wisely,” the minister said.

“The value of a dollar goes far beyond the products or services that we buy – it’s an investment in local jobs, in local communities, in better services, and in strengthening business capacity.”

During the pandemic, the state government chose two ATSI-owned businesses to supply more than $50 million in COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) – both vendors were involved with QIPP.

Official data shows the rate of first-time First Nations businesses supplying the government has experienced a “huge increase” since QIPP was implemented.

Since the last financial year, the state’s investment in First Nations businesses increased from 2.03% to 2.58%.

Crawford said QIPP offered direct education to participating vendors but that know-how was also being shared with the state’s wider First Nations business ecosystem.

“We want to make sure that every eligible Queensland business has the opportunity to work with government, and we know there are many First Nations businesses who have the capacity to successfully supply goods and services our state needs,” he said.

This article was first published by The Mandarin.