Queensland Report - April 2010

CCF submits response to State Procurement Policy revision
We recently submitted a response to the Queensland Government’s proposed revision of the State Procurement Policy (SPP). It was required to align the policy to recommendations from the state government’s Response to Integrity and Accountability in Queensland released in November 2009. 
The four main areas of procurement-related reforms are:
•    Extension of the SPP to apply consistently to government owned corporations, statutory bodies and special purpose vehicles;
•    Publication by agencies of basic contract details over $10,000 and increased reporting of processes relating to the awarding of contracts;
•    Agencies to disclose full contract details above $10m; and
•    Use of probity auditors by agencies for procurement above a threshold to be determined, to report on whether a process has complied with necessary standards.
Our response recommended further amendments to the SPP including:
That it be amended to encourage the un-bundling of major projects in order to utilise and provide an equitable and ongoing access by small and medium enterprises to major construction projects.
1.    The SPP encourages departments that manage major construction projects, to ensure a continuity of work across all prequalification levels, and provide industry with a reliable 2 year forecast of work, updated quarterly;
2.    The Civil Contractors Federation – Queensland Branch be included as members of the State Procurement Advisory Council.
We are awaiting the state government’s response to its recommendations.
Workers compensation
State Parliament has been told WorkCover suffered sharp losses in its investments during the global financial downturn. 
Industrial Relations Minister Cameron Dick has released a discussion paper on the scheme. It seeks to encourage changes that will ensure sustainability and maintain fairness within the scheme. Industry has until March 2010 to comment.
 Some of the recommendations for reform include:
•    Increasing premiums;
•    Changing the definition of injury in legislation to “work needs to be a significant contributing factor” ;
•    Changing the permanent impairment threshold which is currently 0% to 10% or 15% before injured persons can access common law payouts.
We have called a meeting with other stakeholders and a representative from the minister’s office to work through our concerns.
Invitation
Each year the CCF hosts the Industry Leaders & Training Awards. This event has the specific aim of recognising and rewarding excellence for the industry’s leading trainees, apprentices and employers. This celebration of training and education has grown each year to become one of the major events on the CCF calendar.
The Awards are an opportunity for members of the CCF and clients of Civil Train (RTO), to gather with other stakeholders in education and training, to recognise the outstanding contribution and hard work of apprentices and trainees from within the civil construction industry.
This year’s gala event will be on Friday 21st May at 18.30 for 19.00 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
There have been a record number of nominations received from across the state. We are confident the night will prove to be an excellent celebration of the work of apprentices and trainees, and will highlight the commitment of the civil construction industry, to training and education.
For further information please contact Edwina Cattanach on (07) 3360 7933.
Welcome to new staff
We have recently welcomed two new staff to the CCF team. Mark Swinbourne is the new member services manager. He will focus on increasing services to members as well as managing the membership growth strategy.  
Michael Duff joins us as the new research and policy manager. He has served as a local government councillor, and as a media and policy advisor to elected representatives, both at a state and federal levels.