Ep#156: From Paper Clips to Submarines: Why Procurement Matters in Government
How does the government actually buy the things that keep Australia running, from everyday supplies to major infrastructure?
In this episode of Work with Purpose, host Kate Driver speaks with Richard Windeyer, former Head of the APS Procurement and Contract Management Profession, and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Finance, along with Andrew Marsden and Kim Hunter, partners at O’Connor Marsden, to unpack something that quietly shapes almost every part of Australian life: government procurement.
From paper clips to submarines, every ambulance, bridge, hospital, IT system, and research project has to be bought, managed, and justified. Together, our guests explore how more than $100 billion of taxpayer money each year is turned into public value, why integrity and transparency matter as much as price, and how both public servants and suppliers can navigate this space with confidence – especially in light of the recent changes to the Commonwealth Procurement Rules.
KEY TIPS
- Start early: the most important procurement decisions happen at the beginning, when defining the problem, engaging the market, and designing the right approach.
- Talk to the market and do it well: early, transparent engagement helps agencies understand what is possible and leads to better outcomes while maintaining strong probity.
- Integrity and transparency make decisions defensible: managing conflicts of interest, documenting decisions clearly, and ensuring fairness are essential to maintaining public trust.
- Procurement is everyone’s business: if you design, approve, or manage work involving suppliers, you play a role in how public money delivers public value.
SHOW NOTES
- 2025 Commonwealth Procurement Rules | Department of Finance
- Australian Government Contract Management Guide | Department of Finance
- Procurement | Department of Finance
- Commonwealth Procurement and Contract Management Training Suite | Australian Public Service Academy
GUEST
Richard Windeyer Acting Secretary Department of Finance
Andrew Marsden Partner
OCM Consulting
Kim Hunter
Director
OCM Consulting
Richard joined the department of Finance in March 2024, taking up the role of Deputy Secretary Commercial Group where he is responsible for things including procurement, commonwealth investments, oversight of the Government Business Enterprises, and regulatory reform. Prior to joining the department, Richard was the Deputy Secretary of the Communications and Media group at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
Andrew has been providing procurement, probity and assurance services for over 20 years, including sixteen years as a founding Partner of O’Connor Marsden and Associates (OCM). At OCM he is responsible for probity, procurement and ethics product quality assurance and leadership nationally.
He has provided probity, procurement and risk services to all levels of government, focused on commonwealth government and state and territory agencies.
Kim has over 25 years of experience working in the government and private sectors, across multiple domains including technology sourcing and implementation, program management, business transformation and commercial management.
Kim has led multiple large, complex ICT sourcing programs, as well as holding the position of Head of Procurement in two different organisations.
TRANSCRIPT
Download the transcript here.
