Mining procurement favours China, not Australia: report

Australian mining companies are being pressured to buy Chinese equipment as a condition of minerals export contracts, according to the Australian Industry Group (AIG).

The Federal Government had confirmed that it had received anecdotal evidence that Australian suppliers had been ‘locked out’ of projects.

The allegations were contained in a submission responding to government moves to increase local participation in major projects and were rejected by mining industry figures yesterday, who said as much as 88 per cent of resource project procurement was of Australian products.

The submission also calls for Defence procurement to be included in the government's moves to improve the participation of Australian industry in major domestic projects.

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