QUESTIONS have been asked about a tender awarded to Low Carbon Australia, with the contract price just $1 below the State government's disclosure threshold.
The employment status of Low Carbon Australia director Tristy Fairfield was also brought into question by Liberal Party State MPs when it was alleged she worked for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development at the time DPIRD awarded the contract.
Liberal MP Peter Collier questioned the State Agriculture Minister Alannah MacTiernan about it last month, who assured the parliament that Ms Fairfield was "not employed as a public servant" but in 2019 DPIRD had engaged her under "a common-use agreement with Integrity Personnel to provide advice and support in the development of the State policy on human-induced regeneration carbon farming".
"In February 2020, DPIRD issued a tender for specialist advisory services on carbon farming for a 12-month period to assist in the development of a strategy to identify opportunities for third party investment," Ms MacTiernan said.
"Low Carbon Australia Pty Ltd was successful in this competitive tender."
The contract was for $249,999.
"In both instances, Ms Fairfield is providing support on the technical aspects of the work under the leadership of the executive director," Ms MacTiernan said.
"The title of manager carbon farming is used to assist in stakeholder communications on these matters only and the position does not currently exist as an established position within the DPIRD structure.
"Ms Fairfield's expertise has been instrumental in progressing, finally, carbon farming initiatives in Western Australia."
DPIRD said the appropriate procurement process was used to award the contract and it was expected that the cost of services would be below the threshold amount ($250,000) at the time that the tender went to open market, which proved to be the case.
DPIRD said that carbon farming was a highly specialised area and "Low Carbon Australia was ranked highest overall according to price and capacity to deliver".
"DPIRD determined that this form of engagement would provide value for money and have the additional benefit of building the capacity of its own staff working in this new policy area," it said.
"The department is committed to supporting and progressing carbon farming in WA."
Liberal candidate for the Agricultural Region Steve Martin, Wickepin, said Ms MacTiernan "needs to explain" why DPIRD awarded the contract when she "would be well aware that a threshold of disclosure and governance kicks in once a contract is valued at $250,000 or more".
"This contract is exactly $1 shy of that amount," Mr Martin said.
"Why was the Minister's department apparently keen to avoid that process by setting the contract at a suspicious figure - under the threshold by the smallest of margins?
"When a contract is valued at more than $250,000, a competitive process is required to be gone through with an open tender, through a public advertisement and with contract award details published on Tenders WA, if there is no common use arrangement or agency contractors available.
"Most agencies must involve the Department of Finance at the start of the process in accordance with any partial exemption, as they apply.
"The Joint Standing Committee on the Corruption and Crime Commission tabled a report in parliament recently titled "Red Flags...Red Faces: Corruption Risk in Public Procurement in Western Australia".
"Does the Minister consider the awarding of this contract a red flag?"
Ms MacTiernan's office directed Farm Weekly to DPIRD for comment.
Ms Fairfield did not respond to Farm Weekly's questions.
Prior to advising DPIRD and working for Low Carbon Australia, Ms Fairfield had been involved in campaigning on climate change with Friends of the Earth and Climate Action Network Australia.
She was involved with the Greenhouse Campaigner for the Conservation Council of Western Australia.
According to SourceWatch, Ms Fairfield has substantial experience in political advocacy at a State and Federal level and has served on many stakeholder groups and advisory bodies.
