Electrical Connection Spring 2015

10 / 116

10 E L E CT R I C AL CONNE CT I ON S P R I NG 2 01 5
EDITORIAL
T he recent signing of a landmark
Fair Trade Agreement with China
(awesomely known as ChAFTA)
has received a lot of press lately – and not all
about the potentially-cheaper Chinese-made
products and boosts to tourism that the
Government is trying desperately to sell to the
Australian public.
Given that the cost of living is skyrocketing,
who wouldn’t want to pay less for consumer
goods? And, with the downturn in the resources
sector, increased tourismwill be a good thing
for the economy, right?
But, perhaps thanks to poor wording on the
Government’s behalf, initial reading of ChAFTA
led many to believe that we would soon be
overrun by Chinese electricians who are exempt
frommeeting Australian licensing standards.
At the time, the National Electrical and
Communications Association (NECA) – which
had not been consulted in the lead-up to
the announcement – issued a press release
cautiously welcoming the news, but with the
caveat that there be no dilution of licensing or
safety standards.
And rightly so – the electrical industry has
had a rough trot lately with inferior product and
unqualified workers.
Thanks to the noise created by NECA and
other groups, we now have some clarification to
offer readers of Electrical Connection.
After the news of ChAFTA broke, NECA
representatives had numerous discussions
with both Federal Minister of Trade Andrew
Robb’s office and the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade. As a result of these discussions
and enquiries, assurances were made that the
proposed changes under ChAFTA will not dilute
licensing or safety standards.
The changes that have been announced
go to the manner in which the Government
internally processes skilled migration
applications. An applicant will still be required
to apply via a skilled migration pathway – as
any other applicant from any other country.
Once a 457 application is granted, the applicant
will still be required to apply to which ever
State/Territory and satisfy that individual State/
Territory’s licensing requirements.
As is currently the case, it is the ultimate
responsibility for the State/Territory to set its
own licensing standards – in this regard there is
no change.
I hope you find this edition information and
entertaining.
ChAFTA away...
Paul Skelton
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Jeff Patchell
GENERAL MANAGER
Jeremy Sweet
EDITOR
Paul Skelton
03 9542 9016
EDITOR –
ACROSS THE TRADES
Paul Skelton
STAFF WRITERS
JacobHarris,Kate Jordan
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Kylie Mibus
PRODUCTION TEAM
Sam Elliott, Gail Dwyer
CONTRIBUTORS
MatthewWright,BrianSeymour,Anthony Igra,
ChrisHalliday,DavidHerres,GaryBusbridge,PhilKreveld,
IanMillner,SteveArthur,VarantMeguerditchian
ADVERTISING 1800 063 371
SimonClark
0428733248
TO SUBSCRIBE
Australia Freecall 1800 623 214
New Zealand 613 9542 9000
Fax (with credit card details) 03 9542 9090
By mail, please write to the address below
PUBLISHED BY:
Connection Magazines Pty Ltd
Unit 2/18-22 Lexia Place,
Mulgrave, Victoria 3170
AUSTRALIA
ISSN1839-2288
Disclaimer:
Theopinionsexpressed in thismagazinedonot
necessarily reflect thoseof thepublisher.Although
allmaterialsarechecked foraccuracy,no liability is
assumedby thepublisher forany lossesdue to theuseof
material in thismagazine.Copyright2015byConnection
Magazines.All rights reserved.Nopartof thispublication
maybe reproduced,stored ina retrievalsystemor
transmitted inany formorbyanymeans (electronic,
mechanical,photocopying, recordingorotherwise)
without thepriorpermissionofConnectionMagazines.
CONNECTION
ELECTRICAL