Government Procurement Review (International Free Trade Agreements) (Relevant Government Agencies) Order 2020 (TAS)

The Government Procurement Review (International Free Trade Agreements) (Relevant Government Agencies) Order 2020 was made under the Government Procurement Review (International Free Trade Agreements) Act 2019 by the Governor of Tasmania, acting on advice from the Executive Council. This legislative instrument identifies the entities that are considered relevant government agencies for the purposes of the Act. The Act was enacted to ensure that international free trade agreements are properly reviewed in terms of their impact on government procurement processes within Tasmania.

The central legal issue addressed by this order was to clarify which government entities in Tasmania should be regarded as relevant government agencies for the purposes of the Government Procurement Review (International Free Trade Agreements) Act 2019. This clarification is necessary to ensure that the Act is properly implemented and that the appropriate entities are held accountable for reviewing procurement processes in line with international trade agreements.

The court determined that the relevant government agencies for the purposes of the Act are the Office of the Governor, the House of Assembly, the Legislative Council, and the Legislature-General. These entities are responsible for ensuring that procurement processes comply with the requirements set out in the Act, thereby facilitating the review of international free trade agreements. The order was made to provide clear guidance on the scope of the Act and to ensure that the correct entities are involved in the review process.

The final orders of the court declared that the specified entities are the relevant government agencies under the Act, effective from the date of notification in the Gazette. This order ensures that the Act is properly administered and that the identified entities are accountable for reviewing government procurement processes in accordance with international free trade agreements.