The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) has condemned a proposal to scrap crucial safety checks which keep Australian workers and the public safe.<\/p>\n
A Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) report released on Monday has called for removing licensing of electricians and plumbers.<\/p>\n
It labels both trades as \u201cpersonal services\u201d that should have the same arrangements as taxi drivers and driving instructors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe suggestion that we should scrap licensing in electrical trades is a dangerous thought bubble that needs to be rejected outright,\u201d\u00a0ETU\u00a0Acting National Secretary Michael Wright said.<\/p>\n
\u201cA skilled workforce performing important safety checks are the backbone of Australia\u2019s licensing systems. It\u2019s no accident that Australia has one of the lowest rates of household electrical fires in the Western world – it\u2019s because we have amongst the highest standards in training for our electrical workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsing the combustible cladding debacle to suggest electrical and plumbing licensing doesn\u2019t work is ridiculous.\u00a0Winding back safety regulations is a recipe for disaster which puts all of us at risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
The ETU has called on the Federal Government to rule out watering down safety standards for electrical trades.<\/p>\n
CEDA has also called for the Automatic Mutual Recognition of Occupational Registration scheme to be extended across all states.<\/p>\n
That would mean\u00a0any electrical worker could work in any state or jurisdiction automatically, without undergoing simple but important safety and verification checks.<\/p>\n
Mr Wright argues this will \u201cerode safety standards and checks, which are absolutely crucial for high-risk jobs like electricians\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need is a national licensing system so that we can align the significant differences between states,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAutomatic mutual recognition exposes workers to massive liability if they fail to understand legal requirements in different jurisdictions.\u201d<\/p>\n
CEDA also wants to review all licensing regulations to see whether online reviews could be used by consumers to assess quality.<\/p>\n
Licensing would be reduced, and the focus shifted towards quality standards under consumer law.<\/p>\n
\u201cSafety laws are there for a reason. Any attempt to give consumer law primacy over legislation which is written to save lives is madness,\u201d Mr Wright said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) has condemned a proposal to scrap crucial safety checks which keep Australian workers and the public safe. A Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) report released on Monday has called for removing licensing of electricians and plumbers. It labels both trades as \u201cpersonal services\u201d that should have the same […]<\/p>\n