The Nationals WA are demanding an explanation from the Premier over the awarding of a contract worth more than half a million dollars to a London-based company.
Under questioning by The Nationals WA, the State Government revealed it had awarded a $566,000 contract to provide an “ideas management” software system to UK company Crowdicity.
Leader Mia Davies said Labor had billed WA taxpayers for the “world’s most expensive suggestion box”.
“When you strip back the layers of this contract, WA taxpayers are essentially paying a company on the other side of the world to provide a digital suggestion box,” Ms Davies said.
“The software system will be used to crowd-source ideas from across the WA public sector.
“Here’s a suggestion for the Premier: why not start putting WA firms and jobs first like you promised you would.”
Ms Davies said the Government had a chance to award the contract to a local firm but chose to look overseas.
“The contract went to an international company despite two WA-based companies submitting tenders, as well as another eight companies from across Australia,” she said.
“The Premier, in the face of all his rhetoric about local job creation and backing WA firms, has again been exposed as a hypocrite.
“It again shows that Labor are all talk, no action when it comes to creating jobs and business opportunities for West Australians.”
Warren-Blackwood MP Terry Redman, who has pursued the suggestion box contract in State Parliament, questioned the need for the software.
“It appears the McGowan Government is so bereft of ideas that it is outsourcing policy creation to the public sector,” Mr Redman said.
“I have tremendous faith in our public service and acknowledge the fantastic job they do on behalf of all West Australians.
“Yet with all the cuts the McGowan Government has inflicted on departments across the public sector I seriously doubt they have the time to sit around and dream up policy solutions for this lousy Labor Government.
“Our hard-working public servants are seriously under the pump due to Labor’s deep cuts and struggling to keep their heads above water as it is.”
