National licensing delayed - electrical, plumbing, gasfitting, refrigeration and property occupations first affected

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has announced that the introduction of national licensing will now start in 2013. This first wave of licences to be affected includes electrical, plumbing and gasfitting, refrigeration and air conditioning, and property occupations.

In their official statement, COAG members noted that the complexity of the reforms made it impossible for national occupational licensing to commence from the original start date of 1 July 2012.

The Chair of the National Occupational Licensing Authority’s Board (NOLA), Elizabeth Crouch, says the confirmation of this new timeframe has provided certainty to businesses and individuals who are waiting for the introduction of this reform.

“Now we can proceed with the important job of talking with businesses and tradespeople to ensure that the new national licensing scheme maximises benefits for all such as improved labour mobility and better productivity,” Crouch said. Six out of eight COAG jurisdictions have already passed the Occupational Licensing National Law Act 2010, giving the legislative mandate for the National Occupational Licensing Authority.

Work will now proceed on developing a clear formal statement on the benefits and costs of the reforms for consideration by the states and territories. The statement will also be used for a formal consultation period, including public meetings, which will be conducted in mid-2012.

“The NOLA Board is moving quickly to establish the new authority, which will be based in Sydney,” Crouch said. “Work is also progressing on the development of a new national licensing register that will allow anyone to check whether a person holds the licence that they say they do.” This new system will greatly assist individuals and businesses that work across state boundaries.

“The Australian economy will benefit from national licensing as greater labour mobility and increased efficiency increases overall output and competitiveness. We are keen to work with industry and other stakeholders to ensure government gets this reform working for Australia,” Crouch stated.