NECA Legal Webinar Series

Apprentice Awards in early 2022. We wish our apprentices and contractors all the very best for this exciting event. NECA has continued to advise Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS), and the state government more broadly, on the review of several policies and codes of conduct. We have made submissions regarding TasNetworks’ Service and Installation Rules and two CBOS documents: the Electricity Consumption Metering Safety Requirements and the Occupational Licensing (Supervision of Prescribed Work) Code of Practice. NECA actively participated in the public consultation process that will apply to all of these documents later in 2021.

CBOS has also issued advisory notes for reporting unsafe electrical installations and electrical compliance – prefabricated structures, which we will consider and respond to in due course as appropriate. On the regulatory front, Standards Australia has issued Amendment No 2 for AS/NZS 3000:2018 (Wiring Rules), and the Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council (ERAC) has issued its summary of requirements for inverters and isolating solar systems. Tasmanian contractors have been waiting for both documents with some anticipation. Our most recent Electrical Contractor Industry Liaison (ECIL) meeting in June was productive, and the minutes from this meeting are available should members wish to get in contact. One CBOS document noted by the meeting details Common Electrical Work Defects. This document highlights the ten most common defects in residential, commercial, industrial and solar installations, and is a useful reference point for both practitioners and consumers alike. Further ECIL meetings in 2021 are scheduled for 22 September and 8 December. These will be held at Midlands Bowls Club in Campbell Town. NECA provides a range of continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for Tasmanian contractors. In recent months, NECA ran a variety of webinars for technicians and business owners, and this September, NECA held Industry Roadshows across Tasmania. All of the presentations/ events attracted CPD points. In the coming months, NECA will release more event dates and webinars that will provide attendees with CPD points. I look forward to continuing to work with Tasmanian members during 2021, and encourage all members to get involved with NECA’s events and industry forums during the remainder of the year.

Vale Doug Couzins

It gives me great sadness to report that Doug Couzins, a stalwart of NECA in Tasmania, has passed away. Doug was a member of NECA Tasmania for many decades, and his contribution to the electrical industry helped shaped NECA into a leading representative industry body in this state. He was an active member of the Northwest Tasmania chapter until his retirement. On behalf of NECA Tasmania, I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Suzanna and the Couzins family.

Throughout April to August, the NECA Legal team presented a series of continuing professional development (CPD) webinars to assist members with their employment, building and construction legal obligations. The NECA Legal team discussed the most important issues amongst Tasmanian electrical contractors including:  Termination of employment and some of the pitfalls faced when dealing with this difficult and often unpleasant task;  Employers’ rights and obligations under the ten National Employment Standards, and their application to different types of employment and the Electrical Award;  Key clauses in construction contracts to reduce your business’s exposure to risk during and after a project;  A deep dive into the steps to making an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) and the benefits of an EBA in comparison to standalone employment contracts;  How to effectively use Tasmanian Security of Payment legislation to ensure cashflow within the construction industry, and the process of making a claim under the legislation;  The requirements a union must meet in order to enter a construction site where your team is working, and your responsibilities when a union has a right to enter;  Recovering outstanding client debts and unpaid invoices; and  Exploring your legal rights and responsibilities to personal property.

If you missed out on these webinars, you can view them and other resources at www.constructionlawyersydney.com NECA’s dedicated team of industry legal and IR professionals specialise within the field of construction and workplace relations law, and can assist your business with a range of matters relating to developers, builders, employees and unions. NECA members receive free twenty-minute phone consultations with our legal team. If you require legal, HR or IR assistance, contact NECA Member Services on 1300 361 099 or email memberservices@neca.asn.au