In the 2016-17 financial year, Tasmania’s State Growth Department awarded approximately $82 million worth of contracts to Tasmanian businesses, as outlined in the department’s annual report.
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A total of 62 contracts were awarded for the year, with 56 of those going to state-based businesses.
The biggest of these contracts was valued at $12,515,104 and went to Ulverstone business VEC Shaw Joint Venture.
The contract related to the Huon Highway-Summerleas Road intersection upgrade in the state’s South.
Meanwhile, $676,850 worth of consultancies were awarded to Tasmanian firms.
Of the 13 new consultancies awarded by the State Growth Department in 2016-17, three went to Tasmanian firms.
The biggest consultancy went to Metro Tasmania, for which the government business received $636,850.
Metro consulted on the Latrobe to Burnie General Access Bus Service.
For contracts and consultancies combined, State Growth awarded $97,799,662 worth to businesses, with $83,159,352 of that going to Tasmanian businesses.
The State Growth Department encompasses a number of government agencies, including Infrastructure Tasmania, Arts Tasmania, Brand Tasmania and Mineral Resources Tasmania.
State Growth Department Secretary Kim Evans said the department had in 2016-17 “continued our focus on supporting local industries and businesses”.
“Our work has continued to strengthen our regions,” Mr Evans said.
Mr Evans earned $427,000 in salary, benefits and superannuation payments over the past financial year.
Tasmanian exports were valued at roughly $2.7 billion in 2016-17, with China remaining the state’s biggest export market by value.
China receives almost a quarter of Tasmania’s exports.
The Office of the Coordinator-General also comes under State Growth.
Appointed as the inaugural Coordinator-General in 2015, John Perry earned $448,000 in 2016-17 alone.
Mr Perry acts as a mediator between government and business, assisting in attracting investors to Tasmania.
He listed Hyatt Centric’s decision to build a $40 million hotel in Hobart – the company’s first Australiasian hotel - as a major achievement for the year, as well as Ridley Corporation’s commitment to developing a $50 million aqua feed mill at Westbury.
Labor has labelled the office a “white elephant”.
Indeed, Opposition Leader Rebecca White has vowed to create savings by abolishing the office in favour of a so-called Regional Development Unit if Labor is elected to government.
