FOREIGN engineering giant Bechtel says it has no problem with the Federal Government's plans to pressure miners to buy Australian, despite its lead role in the Australian gas sector.
Bechtel's mining and metals president, Andrew Greig, said yesterday that the company had committed $2.5 billion to Australia as part of its involvement in three liquefied natural gas projects.
They included the $16 billion Gladstone project, BG Group's $15 billion Curtis Island project and ConocoPhillips and Origin Energy's $20 billion Asia Pacific LNG project.
Bechtel is the largest engineering company in the US, ranking as the third-largest privately owned company there.
Typically, Bechtel committed to about 60 per cent Australian content on its projects here, Mr Greig said. Under the proposed Federal Government changes designed to help manufacturers, resources companies would lose a five per cent tariff reduction on imported materials unless they provide a level playing field.
"Any Australian company that wants to do business with us, we will meet with them, we will interview, assess their capability," Mr Greig said. "If they pass muster in terms of ethics, safety, quality and financial capability, they'll have a shot at it.
"Governments at all levels - state federal, local permit projects - they don't tell us who to buy from, they encourage us to create opportunities for Australian companies. We're happy to do that."
The company's chairman and chief executive, Riley Bechtel, gave a speech in Melbourne and said he would struggle to find enough workers and probably have to import fitters, electricians and welders.
"We have designed a strategy to maximise the use of Queensland labour, then go through the rest of Australia, then New Zealand, then look to elsewhere," Mr Bechtel said.
He said Australia was an easier country to do business in than the US, due to regulations, especially related to the environment.fmlht111018
Aussies first suits US giant
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