PRINTER CARTRIDGE SCAM

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:10): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Industrial Relations, representing the Minister for Finance, a question about the new contractual arrangements for government stationery orders.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Recently the government put a freeze on the power of departments and individual offices to negotiate their stationery contracts. Presumably this was a kneejerk reaction to the 'cartridgegate' fiasco a few months ago. Obviously, while something needed to be done, this seems to be a clear case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

The individually negotiated contracts often led to better deals being negotiated which were tailored to the specific needs of the office or department. My office has been contacted by a number of local stationers who have lost their contracts, which were offered on a very low margin basis, a situation that was mutually beneficial to the government and South Australian businesses. I have recently learned that Shared Services has directed that all future purchases must be made through two specific multinational suppliers which are based interstate. My questions to the minister are:

1. Can the minister explain why individual departments and offices were stripped of their power to negotiate their own stationery contracts to the detriment of departmental budgets and local businesses?

2. How can the government say it supports local business when it has so blatantly harmed them?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:12): I would like to thank the honourable member for his very important questions. I will take them on notice and refer them to the Minister for Finance in another place and get a response as soon as possible.