NECA is pleased that COAG has today refused to sign-off on the inferior national electrical licensing scheme proposal presented earlier in the year. NECA believes the proposal was not supported by industry and would have undermined electrical safety across Australia.

But that said, it is a disappointment that after 4 years of hard work we still do not have a national licensing system supported by industry in place. The current state-by-state regime simply adds to the burden of the smaller businesses in terms of administration.

Industry has repeatedly put forward a system aimed at achieving a quality national licensing scheme but has been frustrated by bureaucratic interventions that would have only served to lower existing standards and thereby increase the likelihood of further safety concerns.

NECA looks forward to working with the state governments to strive for a quality and industry-supported national licensing system in the new year – and would support a ‘driving licence’ model as an interim arrangement. Under a driving licence model a registered electrical contractor from one state would be recognised in the other states and territories.

We urge our industry to support this new interim direction, reconfirm their desire for a quality national licensing system and to thank their state and territory governments for uniting to dismiss the unsatisfactory proposal originally tabled.