September 27, 2012
A free seminar will be held in Kingaroy next month to explain new plumbing laws that come into effect in Queensland on November 1.
The seminar will be held from 4:00pm on Thursday, October 18, at Kingaroy Town Common Hall, Oliver Bond Street.
Housing Minister Dr Bruce Flegg said the new laws would reduce red tape, delays and costs for industry, local government and consumers.
They would be the biggest change to the State’s plumbing and drainage industry in many years.
“To prepare for the new laws, the Plumbing Industry Council is hosting free seminars across the State over the next month to ensure plumbers, drainers, industry representatives, local governments and the public are aware of how the reforms will affect them,” Dr Flegg said.
“The changes to the law create a new category of work called ‘notifiable work’ and will expand the amount of routine work a plumber or drainer can perform on existing buildings without the need for approvals or inspections.
“Notifiable work will include most plumbing and drainage work performed in existing homes including kitchen and bathroom renovations, installing or replacing hot water heaters, installing fixtures such as showers and sinks and extending or altering pipe work.
“The Plumbing Industry Council seminars will cover the schedules of work, lodgement processes, auditing and compliance requirements.”
Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland President Bob Kimlin said the new laws were a win for all involved.
“Plumbers and drainers will have the opportunity to self-assess and complete jobs at a faster rate,” he said.
“Consumers will also be able to have work on their properties assessed and approved more quickly and Councils will no longer have the costs associated with conducting so many mandatory inspections.
“We urge plumbers to attend the free seminars, as the new reforms mark some of the biggest and most influential changes the industry has seen.
“We’re keen to ensure that tradespeople and local governments are fully across the changes for the benefit of consumers.
“The seminars are important in informing licensees about their obligations in complying with the new changes. Large fines will apply to those who do not comply and we want to ensure that these changes have positive outcomes across the board.”
The seminar is free and open to the public.
To register, email roadshows@publicworks.qld.gov.au with your name and the date and location of the seminar you will be attending.
For more information on the seminars or notifiable work, call the Plumbing Industry Council Notifiable Work Hotline on 1800-264-585.
