NSW New Local Jobs First Commissioner to Promote Local Workers and Goods; Fines for Leaking Protected Procurement Information

Local Jobs First Bill 2026

20 Oct 2026: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Council

Legislative Assembly

Assent

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Topics

criminal penalties government accountability government agencies government procurement information sharing local jobs performance management public works supplier debarment

Introduced by: The Hon Courtney Houssos MLC (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

The Governor will appoint a Local Jobs First Commissioner to promote the use of local workers and locally made goods and services in NSW Government procurement.
The Procurement Minister must issue a local procurement policy that sets out requirements for using local workers and goods, including a 'future skills guarantee', and must personally decide whether the policy applies to specific government purchases.
Government agencies cannot enter into certain procurement contracts unless the supplier has a local procurement plan and agrees to follow it; agencies must notify the Local Jobs First Commissioner in writing within 45 business days if a supplier fails to follow their plan.
If a supplier is not adhering to its local procurement plan, the Local Jobs First Commissioner can order the government agency to run a formal process to address it by a set deadline.
The Local Jobs First Commissioner can require government agencies to provide information needed to perform their duties, subject to privacy and GIPA Act 2009 exceptions.
Government agencies must take reasonable steps to avoid contracting with or dealing with 'debarred suppliers' (those with certain convictions or penalties), unless the NSW Procurement Board grants specific permission to avoid interrupting essential services.
The Local Jobs First Commissioner is protected from personal liability for actions taken in good faith, and official reports or notices published under this Act are protected from defamation suits.
The Procurement Minister can remove an acting Local Jobs First Commissioner from office at any time.
Suppliers can appeal a decision made by the Local Jobs First Commissioner regarding non-compliance to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
People who disclose protected information obtained under this Act without a lawful excuse can be fined up to 50 penalty units.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Scott Farlow LIB

“I contribute to debate on the Local Jobs First Bill 2026 on behalf of the Coalition. The Opposition supports the bill in principle, but will move amendments to ensure it better reflects its stated intent and aligns with clear and workable procurement principles.”

Official source →

Abigail Boyd GRN

“I indicate that The Greens will support the Local Jobs First Bill 2026 with amendments. To be fair to the bill, it is a step in the right direction, although it is my view that it falls far short of what many of us who have been advocating for this reform for some time had hoped.”

Official source →

Mark Banasiak SFFP

“The Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party supports the Local Jobs First Bill 2026 with amendments that we will move at the Committee stage. The bill is especially important to regional New South Wales.”

Official source →

Mark Buttigieg ALP

“I will contribute briefly to debate on this very important Local Jobs First Bill 2026.To be quite honest, I think the bill shows how committed the Labor Party is to its values. I thank the Minister for introducing the bill.”

Official source →

John Ruddick LIBT

“The Libertarian Party opposes the Local Jobs First Bill 2026. Any member who votes for the bill is an economic dunce, no exceptions. The Hon. Mark Buttigieg said in his contribution to the debate that industry has been hollowed out in Australia because we do not have enough protectionism.”

Official source →

Jeremy Buckingham LCP

“I contribute to debate to indicate that the Legalise Cannabis Party supports the excellent Local Jobs First Bill 2026. I thank the Minister and her office for consulting with members on this bill. I also thank the union movement, which has been key to delivering this important economic reform for the State.”

Official source →

Courtney Houssos ALP

“This bill puts local workers, local businesses and local communities at the heart of government procurement in New South Wales. This legislation represents the most significant change to New South Wales government procurement in a generation.”

Official source →

News articles and press releases

Local Jobs First Bill 2026

The Hon. COURTNEY HOUSSOS, Minister for Finance — 2026-05-28

The bill operates in tandem with part 11 of the Public Works and Procurement Act 1912. It requires agencies to exercise procurement functions in accordance with ministerial policies, including the Local Procurement Policy. The regulations will prescribe the specified value at which the policy must be applied, which is currently to procurements valued at $7.5 million or more. That constitutes 69 per cent of the New South Wales Government’s contract value. Procurement conducted under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020 is exempt. Local content requirements are already in place under that Act for projects delivering the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap. This exclusion ensures requirements are not duplicated under competing regimes.