Executive

PERSPECTIVE

After nine years of conservative rule in Australia, it came to an end, as Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party defeated Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition in the country’s federal election in May this year.

Albanese is the fourth person to serve as deputy prime minister and prime minister, after John McEwen,

Penny Cornah, Executive Director Paul Keating, and Julia Gillard. For the first time since 2007, the ALP has won more seats than the Coalition, they formed a minority government after 2010’s line-ball election, and then lost in 2013.

You might ask what impact does the new federal government have on MPAQ?

MPAQ is part of Master Plumbers Australia and New Zealand (MPANZ). They are the collective voice for the Australian and New Zealand plumbing industry, and together collaborate on a national and international level. Prior to the election, MPANZ wrote to all political parties advising of our key priorities for the plumbing and gas industry. These priorities include: 1. Ensuring that all plumbing products sold, imported into and used in Australia must hold WaterMark certification. 2. Implementing stronger national legislation and defined processes to guarantee security of payment for construction industry contractors and sub-contractors. 3. Introducing Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and mandatory minimum four-year apprenticeships across the plumbing industry. 4. Bringing plumbing industry employment legislation into line with standard business practices. 5. Ensuring offsite constructed modules in the construction industry, commonly called pods, are certified by a licensed plumber if they involve plumbing works.

Since the election MPANZ has written to several Ministers to congratulate them on their appointment and to request meetings. They include: • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese • Minister for Women, Attorney-General Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher MP • Minister for Small Business The Hon Julie Collins MP • Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations The Hon Tony Burke MP • Minister for Skills and Training The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP • Minister for Industry and Science The Hon Ed Husic MP • Minister for the Environment and Water The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP

MPAQ through its involvement with MPANZ looks forward to collaborating with the federal government for the betterment of the plumbing and gas industry.

To contact me please call 07 3273 0800 or email penny.cornah@mpaq.com.au.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Kent Vickers, President Having worked in the Queensland (QLD) gas fields, I never contemplated the possibility of Australia running out of natural gas. Although it was a few years ago, the leases that were being mined at the time were less than half of the available areas in which this valuable resource could be found. Many of the potential basins were not even surveyed as the abundance of natural gas already discovered would exceed the existing demand for decades.

In recent years, the QLD Government has released several new titles for geological exploration as a safety net to bolster our local natural gas supply and to support our export commitments. The exploration in southwest QLD has confirmed that the reserves of natural gas in our state will outlast all of us, and our children, if used wisely.

Knowing that we have such a plentiful supply of clean energy at our disposal, makes me wonder why the southern states of Australia are so keen to abandon the use of this natural resource, relying on electricity produced predominantly through coal fired power stations. Whether you believe in global warming or not, you cannot deny that electricity produced from coal fired power stations is not green. The statistics say that on average, 82% of the electrical energy produced in Australia is generated by coal fired power stations.

Those of you who know me, will understand my background is firmly entrenched in the QLD gas industry, and yes, my opinion is probably biased. But what I want to point out, is the agenda of the southern states to ban the installation of natural gas by 2025.

Australia has embraced the production and use of hydrogen as a clean renewable energy resource. QLD has a dedicated Minister for Hydrogen (the Hon. Mick de Brenni MP), who has proven to be one of the biggest advocates for the fast tracking and development of hydrogen projects by any state government in Australia. Queensland is clearly the best place to produce hydrogen with our large open areas and sunny weather. Couple this with our hydrogen training centre of excellence at Beenleigh we have all the bases covered.

To explain why the actions of the southern states to ban natural gas by 2025 is a bad idea, I would like you to consider this. Our natural gas infrastructure (mains and services) are already delivering natural gas to the majority of the population. If you ban natural gas, then the network owners will be unable to maintain, develop, and grow their asset. Look into the future when hydrogen is ready to be injected as a blend, or even 100% as a renewable green resource and we suddenly realised that there is no infrastructure available to transport it to our homes and industry. The inclusion of natural gas infrastructure must be brought back into the specifications of all new buildings and developments to ensure the pipework is installed at the construction stage and ready to go when hydrogen becomes abundantly available.

The actions of the Governments in the southern states are short sighted. I plan on meeting with the Minister for Hydrogen to discuss the plans to firstly maintain the use of natural gas and secondly to implement a robust strategy for the use of hydrogen in our state.

See you all at the Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards on 14 October.