Executive

PERSPECTIVE

Nominations – MPAQ Council

On Tuesday, 28 September nominations open to be part of the MPAQ Council (Board). The purpose of the MPAQ Council is to provide leadership and set policies and the strategic direction for MPAQ. The Association has been in existence since 1900, and is the peak industry body representing plumbers, drainers, and gas fitters. The role of the Council includes overseeing

Penny Cornah, Executive Director the business and affairs of the Association. Some members join the Council to give back to the industry they are part of and others join to make a difference and to ensure the views of members are front of mind.

Nominations close at midday on 26 October 2021. If you are interested in being part of the dynamic MPAQ board, please complete the nomination form, which will be made available online on 28 September. Please note, conditions apply as per MPAQ’s constitution. Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Tuesday 30 November in person and also via Zoom. At the AGM, positions for the election of the MPAQ Council will be declared. The term for the Council is two years.

Events

Unfortunately, due to the restrictions announced in Queensland and the uncertainty around when certain restrictions will end, we have decided to postpone the 2021 Plumbing and Gas Industry Awards presentation dinner. The event will now be held on Friday 15 October 2021.

Tickets are still available for purchase, so please visit www.plumbingandgasawards.com or contact the MPAQ events team on 07 3273 0800. We have announced the finalists for the evening and look forward to announcing the winners. MPAQ has also changed some of our other event and training dates, so please visit www.mpaq.com.au for details.

COVID-19

Recently, I met online with a number of our corporate supporters who have raised concerns in relation to product shortages, including surveying equipment, computer chip shortage, roofing materials including trusses, and some raw materials. Concerns were also raised in relation to increased costs for air freight and delays. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) is aware of these shortages that are impacting the supply chain and has created the Accelerated Building/Consumer Dispute Framework (ABCD). It is a temporary independent mediation service that commenced on 1 July 2021 to help address the challenges currently facing residential construction.

The ABCD mediation service will match applicants with a qualified mediator, to help facilitate a conversation between parties experiencing issues with domestic building contracts underway due to industry material or labour shortages. The mediation process provides an opportunity for impacted parties to discuss the situation, its impact, and work towards a realistic solution together.

For more information visit www.qbcc.qld.gov.au/residential-buildingmaterial-shortages.

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

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The Minister for Resources, the Hon. Scott Stewart MP, announced earlier this year that 2021 would see the resources sector initiate a “safety reset”. The theme for discussion would be “chronic unease”.

To elaborate on the theme, the reset is aimed at “improving the safety culture through better hazard and incident reporting and is a focus on building a culture of open and comprehensive reporting and investigation of near miss events (or high potential incidents) without the fear, to encourage vigilance and diligence in hazard identification and risk control”.

The reset is directed at the resource sector to discuss what this means and how we address the issues and implement workable change in our industry. The reset discussion focuses on many different topics from “why do we need a reset?” to “why incident and near miss reporting is such a common barrier to improving safety”. It encompasses the ideology that if you report an incident, someone will be held responsible and disciplinary action will follow. The common thoughts from the committee were that it is far better to recognise and report safety issues and near misses so corrective procedures can be developed and implemented.

MPAQ is represented on the committee that reports to the Commissioner of Resource Health and Safety Queensland (RSHQ), Mr Mark Stone, and the Minister, Scott Stewart. Safety plays such an important role in every activity we undertake. Everyone has the right to go home safe and well after a day’s work. Mental health continues to be front and centre in the minds of some of us. The added stress that COVID-19 has dealt the population only acerbates the problem. Regular readers will know that I talk about this topic all the time, but it is important to recognise and understand the added stress some of our mates are enduring. We all have different problems and some of us deal with these issues better than others. What is important to know, is that help is available, and it is not a Kent Vickers, President sign of weakness to reach out and talk to someone. If you or anyone you know is feeling depressed, please contact the MPAQ workplace relations team (Kym or Emma), and we will put you in touch with the professionals that will be able to assist. 2021 is an election year for MPAQ and I would like to express my sincere thanks to the members, corporate sponsors, Council, and especially the staff for the support they have provided to me for my second term as President. I cannot tell you how proud I am to have had the opportunity to work and represent you all in the Queensland plumbing and gas fitting industry. MPAQ is in excellent shape and our Executive Director, Penny Cornah, is an irreplaceable asset to our industry. Thank you all for your support.