Master Plumbers NSW
Advocacy, Policy & Representation
Our significant membership base means that we have political and lobbying strength, as well as the ability to advocate policy to all key stakeholders. We are also in a position to highlight the pivotal role that plumbing and gasfitting professionals play in the living standards of all Australians.
We are committed to regional member representation, and as such have a strategic focus of engagement with all of our members across New South Wales. MPA NSW builds on our members’ needs to ensure that your input is heard.
MPA NSW also develops and advocates policy recognising the importance of the plumbing and gas industry in New South Wales. We steadfastly communicate the views and policies of our members by actively contributing to enquiries and forums that impact on the plumbing sector.
The key ways we engage on behalf of our members
Vigorous lobbying on behalf of its membership in protecting and promoting the interests of the plumbing Industry.
Creating and maintaining a centre of leadership and excellence for the plumbing industry.
Lobbying and Policy Advocacy
Promoting Industry Standards and Ethics
Professional Development and Training
Networking and Collaboration
Advocacy
Master Plumbers Association, NSW is an organisation that represents plumbers and member businesses.
MPA NSW advocates for members on plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying issues that impact their businesses or public health and safety. We are committed to addressing current skills shortages and ensuring future excellence with our Master Plumbers apprentice program (MPAL).
Our members play a significant role in protecting the health of New South Wales residents by contributing to the delivery of clean water and the removal of waste. We support them in providing consumers with the highest quality sanitary plumbing, drainage and gas services through our support and continued education, be that in upskilling, business support or networking.
Representation
The Association actively participates in a range of Industry and Government Committees including:
- Standards Australia – a range of sub committees
- NSW Fair Trading – Licencing and Plumbing Regulation
- Skills Point Construction – TAFE NSW
- Training Services NSW – NSW Department of Education
- Building Reform Expert Panel (BREP) – Department of Customer Service NSW
- Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN) NSW & ACT
- Apprenticeship Engagement Forum (ITAB)
- Service NSW
- Industry Skills Reference Group – TAFE NSW
- Australian Construction Industry Redundancy Trust (ACIRT)
- Jemena
- Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB)
- Infrastructure NSW
- Safe Work NSW
- National Building Specification (NATSPEC)
- Artibus Innovation (Skills Council)
- Fair Work Australia and Fairwork Ombudsman
Lobbying
The Association represents the interests of the plumbing industry at the highest
levels. Our aim is to protect and advance the industry by lobbying government,
authorities, industry and other organisations impacting on its future e.g. protecting
your licence, security of payments, plumbing regulations and the introduction of an
independent plumbing industry regulatory authority. All these issues have a major
impact on the plumbing industry and your future as a licensed contractor.
The Association lobbies on the industry’s behalf at all levels of political
representation, together with all water, gas supply, sewerage/drainage, public works,
environment protection and other relevant authorities.
Dealing with legislation and the award so that the contracting plumber is not
disadvantaged. Through the relevant regulatory authorities, we campaign actively
against unlicensed and unqualified operators in and around the industry.
Key Areas We Are Currently Advocating For
MPA NSW firmly believes that any decision concerning energy sources must be based on a thorough analysis of its environmental impact, safety, cost-effectiveness, energy needs and consumer choice. Adopting a blanket ban would have unfairly limited these options for homeowners and compromised their ability to make informed decisions regarding their domestic energy consumption.
Don't Turn Off The Gas
Sydney Local Government Areas (LGA) (Councils) wishing to ban the Gas Connections to all new builds.
Industrial Relations Changes
Working in collaboration with Master Builders Association on Federal Government’s proposed Industrial Relations
Australian & NZ Master Plumbers
Engaging with the New Zealand Master Plumbers for increased resources for advocacy
MPA Advocating Throughout The Years
1885
A letter to the Mayor of the City of Sydney on June 27, 1885 from the Master Plumbers Association of NSW complains about the indiscriminate granting of licences by the City Council to unqualified persons, resulting in defective work. The meeting was on the 16th February, 1899 and shortly after, the Sydney Morning Herald ran an editorial in support of the plumbers. It would appear that the plumbing trade has been obliged to fight for its right to work since the introduction of licensing, and furthermore, fight not only against the unlicensed, but also the regulators.
1898
In 1898, the Association approached the Australian Gas Light Co. requesting a more convenient distribution depot for plumbers to collect gas meters. The request was denied. Retiring President, C.W. Wymer in his annual report February 1, 1947 spoke about the action of the Prices Commission in fixing maximum rates for “do and charge” work which were not sustainable by the industry. The Association went to great lengths and cost over two or more years to defend their claim. The meeting was on the 16th February, 1899 and shortly after, the Sydney Morning Herald ran an editorial in support of the plumbers. It would appear that the plumbing trade has been obliged to fight for its right to work since the introduction of licensing, and furthermore, fight not only against the unlicensed, but also the regulators.
1899
Back in 1899 the Association’s Secretary, A.W. Robey (President in 1903 and 1904) called a public meeting which drew over 70 licensed plumbers, to protest against recent By-Laws of the Water & Sewerage Board who, said Robey, “…intend to do our legitimate work by cutting and preparing private services for the reception of hired meters. It is very evident that unless the Plumbers of this city take some stand, we will find the Board not only entering into competition with us, but they will go further and take out of our hands other work, for the privilege of doing which we hold our licence.” The meeting was on the 16th February, 1899 and shortly after, the Sydney Morning Herald ran an editorial in support of the plumbers. It would appear that the plumbing trade has been obliged to fight for its right to work since the introduction of licensing, and furthermore, fight not only against the unlicensed, but also the regulators.
1990's
In recent times, April 1991, we read about the abolition of the Advanced Gasfitting License, which the Association saw as a retrograde and dangerous step. To fill this void, the Association, through the expertise of committee member Arthur Donnelley, set up the Advanced Gasfitting Seminar which was very well attended.
Also of great concern to the Association was the Water Board letting contracts to unlicensed smoke testing contractors in contravention of their own Act. Water Board officers assured them that the firms were indeed licensed. When the Association checked with the Building Services Corporation records, they found that this was not the case.
Without doubt the two major issues in the 1990s were Security of Payment and Restructuring. Security of Payment law goes back to Roman times. The Roman law spread to parts of Europe, Canada and some American states. It was not part of the Westminster system, which explains with MPMCA-NSW was seeking legislation in the 1990s. The struggle began in 1991 and the Building & Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999 came into force in March 2000. It was the longest and toughest campaign the Association had ever been involved in.
The Carr NSW Labor Government delivered a solution, which clearly demonstrates fairness and equity to all in the payment chain of a building contract. The legislation provides the same protection for the builders in their dealings with the principal (client) as it does for the subcontractors in their dealings with the builder. In the past, Building Companies went into liquidation, leaving subcontractors (ie plumbers) as unsecured creditors, which often sent them to the wall. The NSW Opposition supported the legislation and understood the problems faced by subcontractors and the urgent need for reform. Government did the right thing in this instance, but it was a different story when it came to restructuring.
Allan Colquhoun, Association President in 1991/2 wrote in The Master Plumber about competency based assessments, namely restructuring, as proposed by the Federal Labor Government under Paul Keating. These reform strategies were aimed predominantly at labourers on CBD sites, and also at entrenching the BWIU as the sole industry union.
The Association strenuously objected to the proposed tinkering with apprenticeship and training areas of the skilled trades by so-called experts, with no background or expertise in those areas. Multi-skilling, as it would apply to the electrical and plumbing trades, would have the contrary effect of deskilling those trades and delivering them to semi-skilled labourers. The fundamental point the proposers failed to grasp, is that the apprenticeship system, in conjunction with the TAFE examinations, is the ultimate “competency based assessment”. Under the proposal, identified competence would be the basis for certification, rather than the completion of a term of training. “You can’t have a crash course in experience.” The President said.
“The Plumbing trade is under threat.” Wrote Richard Rolls in The Master Plumber Dec 1991/Jan 1992: The threat plumbing contractors face is the most major our industry has yet encountered. We stand to lose, forever if we do not fight to defend it, every specialised activity within the trade except potable water supply and sewerage/drainage (mainstream plumbing), which will be all that is left once the trade has been fragmented. Contractors depend on non-mainstream plumbing in hard times such as the early 1990s, when new construction was drying up. But they also had the opportunity to diversify in good times and this opportunity would no longer be theirs. The non-mainstream plumbing areas embraced roofing, irrigation, fire protection and Mechanical Services such as air conditioning, industrial gas, fume removal and liquid and gas delivery etc.
(In short)…The skills of the plumber of the future will be reduced to a devalued, “semi-skilled” level. Our vocation, arguably the most high-tech and professional of all the trades, will retire to the bottom of the heap in a restructured building industry. The expert will have become obsolete, displaced by an “army” of partly-skilled “building workers” easily shuffled from activity to activity across that industry. And each operative in that building worker “army” will be jack of many trades – and master of none. Where will be the self respect plumbers have fought so hard for? What will happen to the envied standards of health and sanitation for which this country can thank only the Plumbing trade?
In The Master Plumber Aug/Sep 1999, we read that deregulation has brought with it a deskilling of Australia. There has been an enormous drop in standards and a proliferation of illegal work. The community is suffering and this will increase in the future as the bad and illegal work fails.
By October 2003 the NSW Government had withdrawn its support for the Association’s Group Apprentice Scheme, despite plumbing and electrical trades having the greatest skills shortage in meeting current and future demands.
Latest Advocacy, Lobbying & Representation News
MPA NSW Welcomes Premier Chris Minns’ Decision To Reject A Blanket Gas Ban
In the wake of last night extensive power outage that left approximately 30,000 households in metropolitan Sydney without electricity, the Master Plumbers Association (MPA) NSW emphasises the...
Master Plumbers Association NSW Addresses Power Outages & Urges Diversification Of Energy Sources
In the wake of last night extensive power outage that left approximately 30,000 households in metropolitan Sydney without electricity, the Master Plumbers Association (MPA) NSW emphasises the...
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