Defence & Trade Investment Opportunities for Local Businesses with Singapore
Posted on June 15th, 2016
What does a $2.25 Billion Dollar defence and trade deal with Singapore and $1 Billion Dollar Infrastructure upgrade in and around Shoalwater Bay mean for local and regional businesses?
Huge opportunities, according to Minister for Defence Senator Marise Payne, who repeated a number of times yesterday to an audience of about 80 businesses, that “this is about Australian businesses, Australian Industry. I want them focussed regionally and locally.” The SAF troop rotation increasing from 6,000 to 14,000 each year is welcome news to Rockhampton and the Capricorn Coast. Whilst the tourism sector (accommodation, hospitality, transport, retail, support services) will continue to enjoy a yearly increase to the $35 Million annual revenue currently generated from the SAF exercises, it is the construction opportunities which raised the most questions from businesses yesterday.
Businesses raised the current challenge of the high cost to SME’s in achieving Federal Safety Accreditation for Defence, as well as the current Tier system in tendering for defence business (Tier 1 – large national companies contracting Tier 2 and 3 businesses which may not be based locally). Senator Marise Payne, Senator Matt Canavan and Federal Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry all committed to ensuring that the construction phase at SWBMTA supports local and regional businesses capable of providing services in the construction of training facilities, arms range, manoeuvre corridors, medical facilities, hardened beach access, roads and fencing, de-briefing facilities, ICT infrastructure, field toilets, vehicle washdowns, camp facilities.
The Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC) based in Adelaide will play a crucial role in working with national offices in linking defence and trade outcomes with local communities.
Capricorn Enterprise Chairman Graham Scott and CEO Mary Carroll were provided a great opportunity to meet again with Minister Payne yesterday evening to further discuss future opportunities for the region, who under the Northern Australia Alliance, will also work closely with Townsville Enterprise Ltd (TEL), as this defence package is across the two regions and unity of message and cohesion is critical.
Capricorn Enterprise encourages local businesses to register with RRIL (Rockhampton Regional Industry Link)
Which was developed in association with the Industry Capability Network (ICN) to capture the regional capability of local business and industry.
