Supply chain disruption looms as Australian transport workers vote on action ● New Zealand procurement reforms show early implementation progress ● Australian parliamentary inquiry to examine essential supply chain resilience ● MP challenges Federal Government to turn Australian-made message into procurement mandate ● Victoria’s Big Build procurement practices set for royal commission scrutiny ● Forensic tomato testing raises supply chain traceability and forced labour concerns ● Procurement hiring reaches three-year high as contract demand surges ● Operation Kingfisher findings prompt calls for ACT procurement overhaul ● Australian Modern Slavery Act set for biggest overhaul since 2018 ● New Zealand finalises Singapore supply pact as Kiwi businesses face ongoing disruption

Stellar line-up for region’s most influential procurement conference

Premier Confex

Qantas CPO Rick Fraccaro is set to join a stellar keynote speaker line-up for PASA’s Premier Confex Confex Annual Conference in Melbourne, October 18-19 2023. 

Rick’s career at Qantas has spanned senior finance roles in engineering, major system replacement projects and a five-year tenure leading the engineering supply chain business.

His keynote topic on day one will cover how Australia’s flagship airline prioritises the many issues procurement faces and opportunities it faces from the supply side. Delegates will also hear how Qantas’ procurement strategy balances these priorities to bring real value to its stakeholders. 

Kicking off day one, Katrina Ell, Moody’s Chief Economist for APAC, is the first keynote with a topic on ‘Geopolitics is Complicating Supply-Chain Management.’

Insights in Katrina’s presentation will include navigating global sourcing strategies around high versus, medium versus low-risk sourcing countries, including an overview of the international sourcing landscape. 

This year marks the 11th instalment of Premier Confex benign hosted at Flemington Racecourse Conference Centre, Melbourne. 

Limited free buyer tickets available  

PASA CEO Jonathan Dutton said the attendance numbers for Premier Confex were already on track to trump the 2022 attendance total of 408.

Jonathan said the theme of “Value over Cost” brings forward the idea that with inflation at 7% and beyond globally, savings are scarce and that in this post-covid era, supply chain uncertainty raises new questions over inbound supply chains.

“Pointedly, without savings to lean on, how else can procurement add value, from the supply side, and strategically more than transactionally, to assure supply and perhaps work more as an instrument of policy and deliver broader value outcomes?”, Jonathan said. 

“With a highly relevant and cutting-edge theme, this event challenges attendees to adopt new ways of thinking and the latest procurement practices.”

Register for a free Premier Confex ticket 

Jonathan said procurement professionals from all elements of the procurement sector around the region were expected to attend, including government procurement, public agencies and professionals from the region’s top 2000 companies. 

Hear from Woolworth during a live panel discussion 

A new addition at Premier Confex 2023 includes a live panel discussion with the Woolworths front-line procurement management team. Delegates will learn how the team delivers ‘value’ to their stakeholders, including customers, in a new era of higher inflation, supply instability and all-encompassing ESG requirements.

Excellence in procurement to be celebrated

The Nigel’s Procurement in Practice Excellence Awards returns to Premier Confex again recognising the very best in procurement across three leading categories: 

  • The Most Improved Procurement Team
  • The Procurement Supply Chain Resilience Award
  • The Procurement Data Intelligence Award.

Nominations close on 8 September 2023. Enter your team for an award.