MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has adopted its procurement policy for 2025-29 to make its purchasing processes more transparent, ethical, and efficient.
Under the Local Government Act, councils must review their procurement policies at least once every four years. The current policy, adopted in December 2021, has now been revised to reflect sector-wide best practice and position the council as a leader in responsible procurement, a shire report said.
“The revised Mornington Peninsula Shire Council procurement policy presented for adoption, incorporates the latest 2024 Local Government Best Practice Procurement Guidelines and aligns with the Municipal Association of Victoria’s new procurement policy framework,” the report said.
Council said the changes strengthened transparency, accountability, and value for money, while embedding principles that deliver long-term benefits to the community.
Key enhancements to the policy include integration of “quadruple bottom line” principles, considering economic, environmental, social, and ethical impacts.
There is also improved guidance on procurement exemptions and probity engagement, updated financial delegations aligned with the council’s new organisational structure.
Public tender thresholds will also increase from $300,000 to $500,000, allowing “efficient and prompt competitive quotation processes”.
Councillors unanimously supported the policy’s adoption at their 2 December meeting.
Cr Bruce Ranken emphasised its broader significance beyond legal compliance.
“It’s actually the cornerstone of how we demonstrate good governance and earn the trust of the community we serve,” he said.
“High value contracts, by their very nature, attract scrutiny. They involve significant investment of our public funds. And with that comes the responsibility to ensure every decision is transparent, accountable, and aligned with principles of fairness and value for money.
“The revised policy before us strengthens these safeguards. It embeds best practice from across the sector, aligns with the Municipality Association of Victoria’s framework, and ensures that our processes are not only efficient, but also ethical and sustainable.
“Good governance is not just about rules, it’s about culture. By adopting this policy, we are affirming that council’s decisions will be made openly, with integrity, and in accordance with the overarching governance principles set out by the Act.”
Ranken noted contracts would be awarded based on merit, “not influence, community benefit, not convenience” and that “every supplier whether large or small, will have the confidence in the fairness of our process”.
“Most importantly, this process is about trust. The community expects that when we commit millions of dollars to investment, infrastructure, services, partnerships. These commitments deliver long-term values.”
“By embedding the transparency and accountability into every stage of procurement, we reassure our residents that this council is financially sustainable, high performing and well governed.”
First published in the Mornington News – 13 January 2026