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Industry opportunities from the Cairns Convention Centre upgrade

The Cairns Convention Centre project was built by locals for locals, with flow-on benefits for the region.

Ensuring we Buy Queensland first

Our Buy Queensland policy aims to back Queensland by putting Queenslanders jobs front and centre. Under the policy, we are required to conduct a local benefits test to tenders for all significant procurement activities and major projects greater than $100 million.

The local benefits test was applied to the Cairns Convention Centre project to ensure that the managing contractor on the project maximised local jobs and flow-on benefits by prioritising capable suppliers that maintain a workforce within 125km of the project.  Where there is no suitable supplier in the 125km zone or one has not tendered, the test seeks to prioritise those regional and Queensland suppliers committed to maximising local jobs and flow-on benefits in the Cairns region.

The budget for the project also included implementation of Buy Queensland Best Practice Principles which emphasise good working conditions, safe workplaces and training up the next generation of tradies and staff through apprenticeships and traineeships for Cairns workers and aspiring young Far North Queenslanders.

The project prioritised local suppliers with a workforce based in Far North Queensland, and the majority of workers on site were locals.

Under the Queensland Procurement Policy, Lendlease conducted a local benefits test when evaluating tenders for this project. The test evaluated the benefits that any supplier would bring to the local area.

The local benefit test under the Queensland Procurement Policy is defined as suppliers who maintain a workforce that usually reside within a 125 kilometres radius of where the goods or services are to be supplied.

For the Cairns Convention Centre Project tenders were evaluated equally:

  • 50% is price.
  • 50% is non-price.

To enable local small-to-medium enterprise to tender competitively for work on the project, Lendlease also split some trade packages.

The upgrade of the Cairns Convention Centre delivered not only a world-class tourism project, but also training that will leave a legacy of more qualified workers in the Far North.

The 86 apprentices that worked on the project have been across a range of trades such as electricians, roofers, cabinet makers, tilers and sign writers.

Last updated: 
6 July 2023