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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-18 Daily Xml
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STATUTES AMENDMENT (ADVISORY PANELS REPEAL) BILL

Introduction and First Reading

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Volunteers, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting in Early Childhood Development) (15:44): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Building Work Contractors Act 1995 and the Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995. Read a first time.

Second Reading

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Volunteers, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister Assisting in Early Childhood Development) (15:44): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading explanation inserted in Hansard without my reading it.

Leave granted.

This Bill will repeal the mandatory requirements for the establishment of the Building Work Advisory Panel (BWAP), Electrical Advisory Panel (EAP) and the Plumbers and Gas Fitters Advisory Panel (PGFAP) under the Building Work Contractors Act 1995 and the Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995.

When the Building Work Contractors Act and the Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act were introduced in 1995, it was essential to develop appropriate licensing criteria, policies and procedures. To facilitate this, the relevant Acts provided for the Minister to establish advisory panels representative of industries. Apart from the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, panels consisted of members drawn from industry associations and other stakeholder organisations.

Panels performed an advisory function only, on matters such as licensing criteria, policies and procedures. They tended to focus on operational and technical issues rather than broader policy or legislative reform and were asked to provide advice in relation to these matters. Initially, panel meetings were held bi monthly to expedite this process. However for the preceding three years, each panel had only met twice a year.

When appropriate licensing criteria, policies and procedures had been established, the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (OCBA) referred fewer issues to the panels for advice. Advisory panel meetings changed from a forum where day to day licensing matters dominated discussion, to a reporting forum where OCBA presented statistical data and highlighted relevant achievements.

While broad policy issues were sometimes raised in panel meetings, they were normally dealt with outside the panel forum through formal discussion papers and targeted meetings held out of session. OCBA also holds regular meetings with a number of the bodies represented on the panels. OCBA is able to achieve the same outcomes using a combination of alternative and ongoing communication strategies.

It was anticipated that some industry organisations and some unions would argue that the licensing systems risked falling out of step with industry needs and that the Government would implement change without an appropriate level of consultation and that Government would become less accountable. In seeking to allay such concerns, OCBA has committed to alternative communication strategies, which will ensure that industry continues to have a voice and that their needs will be taken into account.

Explanation of Clauses

Part 1—Preliminary

1—Short title

The Bill may be referred to as the Statutes Amendment (Advisory Panels Repeal) Bill 2007.

2—Amendment provisions

This clause is formal and provides that this measure amends those Acts referred to in the following headings.

Part 2—Amendment of Building Work Contractors Act 1995

3—Repeal of Part 6

This clause repeals Part 6 of the Building Work Contractors Act 1995 which requires the Minister to establish an advisory panel in accordance with the regulations and sets out the functions of the panel.

Part 3—Amendment of Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995

4—Repeal of Part 5

This clause repeals Part 5 of the Plumbers, Gas Fitters and Electricians Act 1995 which requires the Minister to establish advisory panels for plumbing and gas fitting and for electrical work in accordance with the regulations and sets out the functions of the panels.

Debate adjourned on motion of the Hon. I.F. Evans.

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