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36 E L EC TR I C AL CONNEC T I ON
S PR I NG 20 1 6
NECA TURNS 100
T
he year was 1916 and five of
the most prominent electrical
contractors in Victoria decided
it was time to form a group of like-
minded people to discuss issues of
mutual interest.
The contractors had already been
meeting and discussing industry
concerns in an informal manner for
some time, but they wanted more. They
wanted something bigger that would
ultimately serve the entire industry.
And so NECA was born (or the
‘Electrical Traders and Contractors
Association’ as it was then known).
Although there are few records of the
Association’s activities during the early
years, it is clear that the members met
regularly and formed a group that was
dedicated to the welfare of the electrical
contracting industry.
“Our industry has changed so
much. Mostly by the ability to better
understand and control electricity,” says
former NECA National president (2013-
14) and former NECA Victoria president
(2003-14) Wes McKnight.
Now 100 years later, these changes
and the people behind them have
been profiled in a new book written
by industry stalwart and
Electrical
Connection
columnist Brian Seymour. Set
to be released in August to coincide with
the NECA Victoria Excellence Awards,
the book is an extensive study of how the
electrical industry’s peak association has
grown over the past 100 years and the
role it has played in the wider market.
“In the winter of 2012, I was invited
to lunch by the then-NECA Victoria
president Wes McKnight and -chief
executive Phil Green, and thinking back
on that very pleasant sojourn I am
unsure whether I was conned, cajoled,
shanghaied or sweet-talked into writing
the history of the association,” Brian says.
“In the euphoria of the moment I
agreed and then in the aftermath asked
myself: “What have I done?”
“There is very little information on
companies and people prior to WWII
and it has been a painstaking task to
unearth details of many of the pioneer
companies that no longer exist.
“But it has been such rewarding
experiences to conduct face-to-face
interviews with the people who were
the captains of our industry in their
day and helped shaped the association
and establish it as a representative
organisation in its own right, rather than
the poor cousin of other industries.”
Brian explains that information for the
book has been gleaned from references
in association minutes, newsletters, odd
bits of memorabilia and face-to-face
interviews with the most elderly of our
industry who had entered the workforce
by the late 1930s.
“Just as important as the technical
advances we have made, the people
the electrical industry attracts is what
I really hope we would record with this
book - for future generations to reflect
on and understand how, when, why and
where it all started,” Wes says.
“Ours is one of the most diverse and
important trades still in existence. This
needs to be understood, communicated
and recognised.
“Reading through this book, I hope you
get the sense that the ideal of keeping
the public and our customers safe and
satisfied has long been the driver of the
electrical installation industry.
“When it came to finding someone
to write this book I could only think
of one person who could capture the
personalities, collate the stories and
cajole the information out of individuals
who thought their history wasn’t worth
repeating or recording.
“The industry owes a huge thank you
to Brian all of his work.”
> NECA
www.neca.asn.auNECA VICTORIA IS TURNING
100 AND TO CELEBRATE, THE
ASSOCIATION IS RELEASING A
BOOK THAT DELVES INTO ITS VAST
AND STORIED HISTORY.
MILESTONE