A business owner told
The Observer that Gladstone Regional Council advised it was "too hard" to change the contract for the light poles.
"Councils are meant to support the community, I thought, and our product uses aluminium produced locally at Boyne Smelters," the man said.
The business owner, who asked not to be named, said his company submitted its tender through a wholesaler, to a contractor, in August 2020.
"The contractor has been successful in winning the tender for the job," he said.
"Everybody seems to want to use us except we've got this hurdle at council.
"We knew it would be difficult to get something across the line if we weren't cheaper and a better product and it turns out we are cheaper and a better product.