PERTH (miningweekly.com) - The Queensland government on Tuesday unveiled plans to promote the use of local suppliers and workers in the resources sector, just days after the federal government’s Resources Sector Supplier Advisory Forum was launched.

Deputy Premier, Treasurer and State Development and Trade Minister Andrew Fraser and Tourism, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Jan Jarratt announced Queensland would extend the Local Industry Participation Policy from large government projects to major private sector projects.

The policy currently caters for the inclusion of local businesses and suppliers in large government projects, however, the changes would see those same provisions applied to major private sector projects; ensuring local businesses and suppliers get their slice of the resources boom.

“We have billions of dollars of opportunities from projects taking place on our doorstep. We're committed to doing everything we can to secure participation by local suppliers in these projects without compromising competitiveness,” Fraser said.

The changes would require major project proponents, such as mining companies, to develop local industry participation plans and workforce development strategies as part of the environmental-impact statement (EIS) process.

This would mean companies would have to identify opportunities within their projects that could be filled by local suppliers, Fraser said.

“It's a foot in the door during the planning process - not playing catch-up while competing with overseas or interstate companies. We need to ensure that local businesses and local workers get in on the action at the start of the boom, not when it's too late.”

The Treasurer noted that local industry participation plans would be required as part of the Coordinator-General's EIS process, setting out proponents' goals and strategies to maximise participation of local suppliers.

An independent up-front assessment would be undertaken by the state government-funded Industry Capability Network in partnership with project proponents, which would identify the products and services that could potentially be sourced locally.

“We've adopted this as standard for all major public sector-funded projects under the local industry policy, and these changes will see the same approach for major private sector investments,” Jarratt said.

Meanwhile, the federal government’s Resources Sector Supplier Advisory Forum held its first meeting in Perth last week.

The forum was part of the government’s A$34.4-million Buy Australian at Home and Abroad initiative, and comprises leaders from resource companies, manufacturers, mining technology and service providers, engineering and procurement firms, unions, as well as academia.

The forum was aimed at providing strategic advice on the most effective ways to strengthen Australian industry participation in the resources sector, and the implementation of the Buy Australian initiative.

“With more than A$430-billion of planned or committed capital investment in minerals and energy projects in Australia, this represents a massive opportunity for Australian manufacturers and other suppliers,” Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said last week.

“We are already seeing Australian companies winning contracts on major resources projects, and through this initiative the government is helping to boost this even further.”