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E L E CT R I C AL CONNE CT I ON
AUTUMN 2 01 5
A word from the CEO
As we head into 2015, it becomes clear
that this is going to be another challenging
year for our industry.
No sooner were we back at work than
we heard that ECables had gone into
liquidation. At this point, it’s unclear what
the ramifications will be, but we can be
sure this will not be the end of the saga.
So I would stress again the importance
of only buying compliant products from
reputable distributors. The investment
the large manufacturers and bigger
wholesalers make in testing products is, in
many ways, your insurance.
When we first heard that ECables was
recalling its product, we were assured
that they had the appropriate insurance.
While this most recent development casts
some doubt on this, if you purchased your
product from a major wholesaler, you will
still be protected.
Recall insurance, or assurance?
On the back of the Infinity Cable
debacle, we spoke to the major
wholesalers and manufacturers about the
merits of compulsory recall insurance.
The overwhelming view was that
if the regulators were to force this
onto the market, it would only make
legitimate products more expensive,
in turn encouraging consumers to buy
the cheaper, potentially non-compliant
products available.
The better option would be to better
define what ‘good governance’ looks
like and build that into the regulatory
requirements. This would then provide
the assurance that the industry, and
contractors, need.
At the same time, regulators need to
work with manufacturers and wholesalers
to improve the testing process for all
products – especially those produced by
unknown manufacturers.
To be effective, this needs to be done
independently and regularly. Both Infinity
and ECables appeared to have been
through successful testing at some
point. However, subsequent tests failed,
suggesting initial tests could have been
performed on a special sample rather than
a random one. This is another challenge we
face. And we believe that the solution is that
everyone plays by the same set of rules.
The role of the consumer?
These developments also suggest the
consumer has a role to play. We need
to make consumers more aware of the
risks associated with non-compliant
products and make sure they ask the
right questions. This is harder to achieve,
but we’re starting to look at how we can
engage more with consumers. The ‘Find
an Electrician’ form on our website is the
first small step in this direction.
NECA Policies
February saw the first official set of
NECA Public Policies being launched at
our first 2015 Parliamentary Luncheon with
Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey in Sydney.
We engaged with our members, state
chapters and NECA Councillors to develop
this suite of policies, which is the first of its
kind for our organisation.
It outlines eight key policy themes and
21 specific policy recommendations.
If actioned by the Government, NECA
believes that it will deliver a more
prosperous and effective electrical
contracting sector through the creation of
new employment opportunities, increased
safety and compliance standards and a
boost in growth for our national economy.
As the peak industry voice for the
electrical and communications sector,
NECA will continue to engage with key
stakeholders on a range of policy positions
and in a number of forums. NECA holds
the view that the ongoing advocacy of our
industry, via parliamentary discussions,
parliamentary and departmental policy
submissions and policy forums are a
critical element in effecting positive change
for our industry. The policies are available
on our website and we hope you find them
of interest.
2015 Market Monitor
Finally, I would like to remind you that
it is Market Monitor time again. The first
study was almost 10 years ago and we
have made a number of changes this year.
Firstly, we are opening up the survey to
everyone in the industry. Secondly, this
survey is online and the questions have
been streamlined to make it easier, and
faster, for you to complete this year.
This will give us real-time results and
enable us to look at trends by age groups
to, for example, identify the different
purchasing habits of the under-35
contractor. The data can also be split
into metro and regional areas, owners,
business managers, employed contractors
and even apprentices.
So, please read on to hear more about
how this year’s survey will take shape,
and do make sure you have your say. At
least one lucky person will win a trip to
the proposed NECA National Industry
Conference in Cape Town in 2016!
You need only visit the NECA website
(www.neca.asn.au) to complete the
questionnaire.
Best regards,
Suresh Manickam