However Capel MLA Steve Thomas is concerned about LandCorp’s decision to employ a Bunbury company to clear the land, claiming local companies appear to have been snubbed.

“I called strongly for the LIA expansion to be kick started, but the haste has led to yet another snub to local industry by the State Labor Government and their agency LandCorp,” Dr Thomas said.

He said there were local firms that could have done the job, but that LandCorp had instead contracted a Bunbury firm.

“What disturbs me the most is that I have been informed that tenders were due to close on June 12, but the Bunbury firm were already onsite and clearing week before,” Dr Thomas said.

“I am not convinced Collie companies were given a fair chance to compete for work in their own town.”

LandCorp chief executive Ross Holt yesterday said it had a panel of pre-qualified, registered contractors created through a full public tender process to ensure health, safety and quality standards for each piece of work were met.

Mr Holt said for each contract, LandCorp tendered a certain number of suppliers through its panel of contractors and the number of contractors the tender went out to depended on the value of the work.

“LandCorp always aims to include local contractors in the tender process for each piece of work should they be listed on its panel of pre-registered contractors,” he said.

Mr Holt said LandCorp could vary the standard process of obtaining a certain number of quotes and could go directly to one contractor or supplier if there was a demonstrated merit in doing so.

In response to the Shire of Collie’s request in April that light industrial land be made available in the town as a matter of urgency, LandCorp brought forward the start of the Collie LIA from early 2009 to May 2008.

To enable the works to begin as quickly as possible and at short notice, Mr Holt said he engaged the contractor already working on the Collie residential project in Buckingham Way to carry out the clearing operations.

Dr Thomas’ other concern was that the cut timber was being taken to the Collie rubbish tip, when the tender required it to be mulched.

“Is the Collie Shire being asked to do LandCorp’s work for it in mulching, or is it merely being dumped?” he asked.

Mr Holt said the contractor was mulching and chipping as much of the material as possible onsite, however last week a number of truckloads were taken to the local tip in an effort to ensure the work was finished as quickly as possible.

“An additional mulching and chipping machine is now going to be used to minimise the need for carting,” he said.

“The Shire of Collie has collected some of the timber and mulch for community use and has also replanted grass trees from the site in the new development in the main street of town.”