Canberra Liberals call to scrap the Secure Local Jobs Code

The Canberra Liberals are calling on the ACT Labor Government to immediately scrap the Secure Local Jobs Code following the serious corruption exposed by Operation Kingfisher, including the compromised Campbell Primary School tender.

Canberra Liberals Leader Mark Parton said the Code has become a vehicle for privileged access rather than a genuine safeguard for workers and local businesses.

“Operation Kingfisher, and the Campbell Primary School procurement at its heart, showed how special relationships and back-door channels can influence live tenders.

The Secure Local Jobs Code, the UnionsACT MoU, and Chris Steel’s 2023 Ethical Treatment of Workers Evaluation Direction have institutionalised that privilege. It is time to end it.”

The Canberra Liberals are demanding the Government:

• Immediately abolish the Secure Local Jobs Code

• Terminate the UnionsACT Memorandum of Understanding that grants privileged access to procurement information and tenderer details

• Scrap the 2023 Ethical Treatment of Workers Evaluation Direction that embeds union influence over live procurements

• Mandate full disclosure of any external representations seeking to influence the outcome of tenders.

Shadow Minister for Private Sector Employment and Industrial Relations, Ed Cocks said the current system is indefensible.

“In the wake of a ministerial resignation, the Campbell Primary findings, and damaging Estimates revelations, Canberra cannot continue with a procurement framework that privileges special interests over fair competition and value for money. No union, employer group or political office should have a privileged route into live tenders.”

The Canberra Liberals remain committed to protecting workers and enforcing workplace laws through independent regulation and objective evidence, not through stacked Labor systems that undermine integrity and competition.