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THIS EDITION’S ROUND-UP OF NEWS FROM MASTER PLUMBERS INCLUDES A POSITIVE OUTCOME FOR THE LONG-STANDING CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE LEAD FROM PLUMBING PRODUCTS.
Lead-free plumbing products: mission possible
It’s been a long battle. Master Plumbers began lobbying for lead to be removed from new plumbing products about three years ago, having carried out independent testing on tapware purchased at random online.
The test results showed conclusively that products containing unacceptably high levels of this cumulative toxin were readily available for sale to unwitting New Zealanders.
Master Plumbers discussed the issue with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). CEO Greg Wallace also featured on TV, on the radio and in the papers, raising awareness of the risks to public health, particularly for pregnant women, babies and young children.
When MBIE consulted on the issue earlier this year, Master Plumbers made it very clear in its submission that lead should no longer be used in the manufacture of plumbing products in contact with drinking water.
This November, the first step towards a safer future was made, as MBIE confirmed its proposal to reduce the maximum allowable lead content for plumbing products that come into contact with potable water to a weighted average of 0.25%, in alignment with requirements in Australia.
This change to the Acceptable Solution for new plumbing products in the Building Code will take effect from September 2025, allowing time to raise awareness of the changes and provide manufacturers time to comply with the requirements.
There is still work to be done, but this outcome is a significant win in Master Plumbers’ campaign for household drinking water safety.
ALL SET FOR SUMMER
Congratulations to the two winners of the Master Plumbers and Masterlink Labour Day prize draw. Phil Jennens of Gas & Plumbing Solutions in Ngatea and Richard Graves of Inside Systems in Invercargill are set up for summer with their prize packages of a mini fridge filled with snacks, refreshing drinks and other goodies. Enjoy! Bro!! Three weeks in, the Movember PGD Industry Challenge had raised nearly $6,000! We’ll have the fundraising total in the next edition.
AND GET READY FOR 2023!
To celebrate plumbers around Aotearoa on World Plumbing Day, 11 March 2023, Master Plumbers and Milwaukee will have $9,000 worth of prizes to give away to Master Plumbers’ members! Keep your eyes on the prize—more details coming to the Master Plumbers Facebook page in the New Year!!
GREENS SCHOLARSHIP WINNER!
The standard of entries was very high for this year’s Master Plumbers and Greens Scholarship, which made picking a winner particularly difficult. Congratulations to Reuben Matthews on winning the $2,000 scholarship to give your new career a real kickstart.
Reuben, who’s 18, started his plumbing and drainlaying apprenticeship with his uncle Corey Ford at Laser Plumbing Dunedin Central in July, having made the hard decision to leave his whānau in the Manawatu and move back to the city where he spent his first few years. “I grew up watching my uncle and I thought it seemed a pretty cool career,” he says.
Last year, Corey suffered a spinal cord injury and has been unable to return to work fully (read more about his experience on page 68). “I decided to relocate to Dunedin to help him out,” says Reuben. “I started off as a labourer but I am now a few months into my apprenticeship and really enjoying the work.”
Reuben, you’re a legend!
Apprentice Reuben Matthews (left) with his new boss, uncle Corey Ford.
SELF-CERTIFICATION PILOT EXTENDS TO CANTERBURY
Following the successful trial of the Master Plumbers self-certification initiative for plumbers and drainlayers in Auckland, the pilot is being extended to Canterbury.
Master Plumbers is liaising with Christchurch City Council to help train a group of plumbing businesses in the region on the use of an app that enables them to submit photographic evidence of low-risk work to the council for remote inspection.
As the Master Plumbers 2022 survey shows (see over the page), achieving the goal of self-certification for plumbers and drainlayers is a top priority advocacy project.
COLUMNIST PAR EXCELLENCE
Huge congratulations to Sam Tyson for winning the Best Columnist/ Blogger Award at the Webstar Magazine Media Awards 2022. Sam, who is a Director on the Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ Board, writes regularly in NZ Plumber about her experiences and learnings from running her New Plymouth-based plumbing company Climate & Plumbing, and the judges praised her no-nonsense, ‘robust’ writing style.
We are privileged to have Sam sharing her know-how and advice in the magazine. Ka rawe Sam!
IT’S A WRAP!
As the 2022 Plumbers, Gasfitters, and Drainlayers Board (PGDB) CPD Roadshow made its way round Aoteroa New Zealand, Master Plumbers and Masterlink enjoyed meeting with members and hosts at 34 trade show events all the way from Kerikeri to Invercargill.
Remember, CPD is a requirement when renewing your licence next year with the PGDB. If you didn’t get along to a session, you can do your CPD online at www.pgdb.co.nz/trade/cpd
SURVEYING OUR MEMBERS
The annual Master Plumbers survey provides an invaluable snapshot of business confidence in the plumbing industry, and the key challenges faced by plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying businesses around the motu.
Business confidence
From the 2022 survey, sent out in September, it is encouraging to see 88% of respondents rating their business confidence as moderate to high, despite a recessionary forecast for New Zealand.
This confidence reflects continuing demand for the services of plumbers, gasfitters and drainlayers to help fulfil a significant pipeline of national construction activity. Even with the predicted decrease in activity to $41.7 billion by 2027, this still represents a major workload for our industry, given the critical skills shortages.
Top challenges
Not surprisingly, the shortage of tradespeople is the number one challenge for plumbing businesses according to survey respondents (40%), with too much work ranking second, at 15%, and future job prospects third, at 11%. Taking a wider view, unlicensed tradespeople (25%) and apprentice training delivery (18%) were seen as key challenges facing the industry as a whole.
If worker shortages are to be addressed, it is essential that plumbing businesses
TOP 3 PERCEIVED CHALLENGES FACING OUR INDUSTRY ARE:
1 Shortage of tradespeople 2 Unlicensed tradespeople 3 Apprentice training delivery
in New Zealand train a steady pipeline of apprentices. It was pleasing to see that over 70% of survey respondents are training at least one apprentice in their business, with 5% training 10 or more.
Apprentice training
Concerningly, however, only 56% of respondents said they are looking to take on an apprentice over the next 12 months, with reasons for not doing so including industry uncertainty and waiting for apprentice training delivery changes to be sorted. “We urge members to press on and speak with the Master Plumbers and Masterlink teams about how you can take on an apprentice now,” says CEO Greg Wallace.
Although New Zealand’s Covid restrictions have largely been lifted, global
CURRENT NUMBER OF APPRENTICES IN YOUR BUSINESS:
30%
19%
32%
13% 5-9
5% 10+ 1 0
2-4
TOP 5 MEMBER BENEFITS
1. Master Plumbers brand/logo
2. Advocacy work for industry
3. Discounts and deals
4. Master Plumbers Guarantee
5. Human Resources support
product supply chain impacts remain. Asked about supply chain restraints, 43% of respondents said this was affecting their business on a monthly basis, with 40% noticing a weekly impact.
Wellbeing focus
Faced with so many challenges, it comes as no surprise that respondents commented on stress and tired workers in their businesses. Master Plumbers has put significant focus on its Wellbeing on Tap programme since its launch in 2019, with business resources, videos, blogs and a wellbeing roadshow. So, it is good to see that 60% of respondents provide mental health and wellbeing support for their employees, with others commenting that they plan to offer more.
Members are also investing in the training and development of their teams, with 36% saying they spend, or plan to spend, over $,2000 per team member over the next year.
Membership benefits
When it comes to Master Plumbers membership, 86% of respondents say the support they receive is good to excellent. The top three membership benefits are the Master Plumbers brand (61%), discounts and deals (37%) and advocacy work for the industry (37%). The Master Plumbers Guarantee and HR support follow closely behind, each at 34%.
A very pleasing 88% of survey respondents think Master Plumbers does a good to excellent job in advocacy work, with half of all respondents putting selfcertification for plumbers and drainlayers top of the list of important projects.
Based on their total membership experience, 92% said they would be somewhat to very likely to recommend Master Plumbers to another business, with 78% saying they think it is somewhat to very important to consumers that they choose a Master Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer for their job. The Find a Plumber tool on the Master Plumbers website backs up these views, with over 10,000 customer leads generated during the 2021/2022 year.
When it comes to getting information from Master Plumbers, NZ Plumber magazine remains the preferred source (68%), followed by the Newstube member enewsletter (49%) and occasional Stop Press emails (37%). Use of the Master Plumbers Facebook group is growing year on year, with 28% now preferring to get their information this way.
Training opportunities
Survey respondents provided many valuable ideas for future training topics in our annual training course programme. When developing the 2023 training timetable, Master Plumbers will take into account that the majority of respondents (66%) prefer in-person training courses, whilst ensuring that online and self-paced training opportunities are also available for those outside the main centres or who prefer this style of learning.
It was very clear from the survey that Master Plumbers must prioritise sustainable practices and mental health and wellbeing in the months ahead, with 63% and 51% of respondents respectively selecting these as key issues, followed by diversity at 13%.
ADVOCACY
50%
19%
Self certification for plumbers and drainlayers
Renewable gas
13%
Removing lead from plumbing products
11%
Reform of vocational education A huge thanks to all members who responded to the 2022 Master Plumbers survey. The number of respondents was up 40% on last year. The survey provides valuable insights for Master Plumbers to reference when making decisions on our strategic direction for 2023 and beyond. Congratulations to Ribeau Norton of Catapult Plumbing, who won our survey prize draw of free registration to the 2023 NZ Plumbing Conference!
SIGN UP TO POWERPASS WITH BUNNINGS TRADE
Bunnings Trade and Master Plumbers are delighted to announce a partnership that gives your business the opportunity to join the PowerPass membership programme or link your existing PowerPass account to access a range of exclusive benefits.
PowerPass is designed to make life easier for plumbers, giving you exclusive pricing on an extended range of plumbing essentials, including plumbing parts and tools, pipes, fittings and more. Plus, you’ll have access to customised pricing across Bunnings’ wide range of products—from trade quality power tools and hardware, building materials and maintenance supplies to the latest in innovative building solutions—all under one roof.
With a network of 50 locations nationwide, Bunnings’ Trade Specialists in store can help manage your orders, quotes and delivery. Plus, stores are open early until late, seven days a week for those last-minute or weekend jobs.
To join, log in to the Business Partner page on the Master Plumbers website: www.masterplumbers.org.nz/ dashboard/partners
Get to know the Master Plumbers team with our quick Q&As.
NAME: Caitlin Wells ROLE: Administrator What does your day-to-day role entail? My role covers all things administration and customer service. I answer phone calls and emails and help in whatever way I can around the office. If you call the Master Plumbers national office, chances are you’ll speak to me.
What did you do before this? I’ve come from a predominantly retail management background. I worked on a beauty counter as a makeup artist in a department store before moving into fashion. I was managing six different clothing brands within David Jones before I decided to make a change.
Can you tell us a bit about you? I was born in the small mining town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, but was lucky enough to travel around a lot with my family. I’ve been in New Zealand for 15 years now, and Wellington for seven of them. I definitely consider Wellington home. My flatmates and I have just adopted a cat, so I won’t be going anywhere any time soon. What are you listening to right now? My favourite type of music is hip hop but I’m also a big fan of a good old-fashioned singalong. I also love film, so you’ll often find me listening to podcasts about movies.
What’s your favourite book, movie or TV show? There’s too many to choose from! At the moment I’m reading the sequel to Dune in preparation for the upcoming movies, but I’m also looking for a new TV show to fill the gap left by the season finale of House of the Dragon.
Where’s your favourite holiday spot? Cape Town. I went there as a teenager and would love to go back. The history is so rich and the scenery breathtaking. Closer to home, I love Papamoa for the beaches and the sunshine.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? If I’m not spending time with friends and family, I enjoy reading, playing video games, and going to the movies. I also try to stay active by going for walks and to the gym.
NEW SILVER PARTNER: STORMWATER SYSTEMS
Stormwater Systems is a proudly Kiwiowned and family-operated business with a reputation for being at the forefront of sustainable water solutions. They’re respected as a team of creative thinkers and problem solvers, who develop solutions to meet water management challenges for projects of all sizes and budgets.
Their innovative solutions harvest rainwater that would otherwise be destined for vulnerable urban waterways, or ailing infrastructure, and reduce reliance on urban water supply.
The Stormwater Systems team are here to help.
Stormwater Systems is New Zealand’s exclusive Aquacomb® and FenceTank distributor and offers proactive support at all stages of the project lifecycle—from design to supply, installation and maintenance. They’re here to make your water management solution straightforward and hassle-free. Send your plans to them and their experienced team will develop a free custom stormwater solution that integrates seamlessly into your project, completely free of charge.
Get in touch with the team to experience the Stormwater Systems difference on your next project. Call 0800 110 808 or visit www.stormwatersystems.co.nz today.
LATEST INNOVATIONS FROM AQUALINE
Aqualine Products Ltd have introduced several new products into the NZ market recently, as they continually look to distribute innovative products. This includes their Flexi flange range, Dishwasher cover plates, and multipurpose cover plates (get in touch if you would like a sample!).
The latest product range, just released, is their next generation Spartan Pex piping system from Forza Global.
Aqualine are the New Zealand distributors for Forza Global of Pex, Copper Press and Stainless Steel pipe and fittings for water and gas. Aqualine and Forza Global joined forces in November 2018, allowing Aqualine to strengthen and expand their piping offer in New Zealand, covering residential, commercial, and industrial applications.
Their Spartan range is a popular choice for plumbers across New Zealand, known for its high quality and durability and the new Spartan Pex piping system is the latest addition to the range.
Aqualine Products recently appointed Gareth Withers as their new General Manager. Gareth joined Aqualine over four years ago as their National Commercial Manager, bringing with him a significant amount of product knowledge and strong relationships in the industry.
Gareth and the Aqualine team are excited to launch Spartan Pex, as the system offers a number of advantages over current systems. With a 50-year warranty and a no O’ring design for water and gas applications from DN16 to 32mm, it eliminates the requirement to ream with a simple fast and secure crimp.
Spartan Pex has a high-quality stainless-steel ring with DZR brass body, along with failsafe leak detection upon initial pressure testing.
Board Bios: JON LEWIS
Get to know the Master Plumbers Board over the coming editions.
Jon Lewis has been President of Master Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers NZ since 2018, and serves on the Board’s Health and Safety, and Disciplinary Committees.
Jon has over 30 years’ experience of running plumbing companies.
He and his wife Jan founded The Lewis Plumbing Company (NZ) Ltd in Rotorua and, after many years and ready for a change of pace, sold the business in 2021. Jon and Jan continue to operate Backflow Prevention Ltd, which has also been in operation for the past 20 years.
Jon is a specialist in cross connection control and backflow prevention and regularly tutors, and consults with councils around New Zealand around water infrastructure.
As well as being on the Master Plumbers Board, he has a range of roles and responsibilities in governing and influencing the plumbing industry:
Standards Australia Working Group for
Plumbing and Drainage Standards and
Backflow Prevention Standard (2015)
Standards NZ Working Group (2015)
Water NZ Backflow Group—Master
Plumbers’ representative (2015)
WSP Opus tutor (2016)
Committee for Materials in Contact with
Drinking Water (2021)
PDG Technical Reference Group for
Waihanga Ara Rau (2022)
A member of Master Plumbers for more than 20 years, Jon is a staunch supporter
Master Plumbers NZ President Jon Lewis.
of the organisation’s industry advocacy role. He believes that by getting involved in committees and boards, tradespeople and practitioners play a critical role in bringing hands-on understanding to governance and decision making.
“You’ve got to think about what our members want, and what industry benefits there are for them. It’s important our industry has a voice and, to do this, you have to be open to discussion, ideas and concepts, and add value by making fully considered decisions.
Training is another passion of Jon’s, and he believes every business owner should be training at least one apprentice. He sees this as a vital way of future-proofing the industry and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
“I’m passionate about plumbing being a trade that people recognise as highly skilled and professional,” he says.
WELCOMING FELICITY CAIRD
Master Plumbers is also very pleased to report that Felicity Caird has been appointed as an independent director of the Master Plumbers Board, bringing valuable outside thinking to the board table. Felicity works as a professional director and governance advisor at her business FJC Consulting in Wellington. Previous to this, she worked in in the public sector and for eight years at the Institute of Directors.
“I’m really excited to bring my governance skills and experience working in a membership organisation to Master Plumbers,” she says.
Felicity Caird became an Independent Director of the Master Plumbers Board in November 2022.
NEW MEMBERS
A warm welcome to new member businesses of Master Plumbers:
Grammar Plumbing Ltd – Auckland
Morgan Plumbers Ltd – Waikato
Soda Plumbing and Gas Ltd – Waikato
Wilco Plumbing Services – Wellington
Plumb and Flow – Canterbury
GoFox Plumbing Queenstown – Queenstown Lakes District
Plumb South Ltd – Southland
WANT TO JOIN?
Master Plumbers is here to support all businesses in the plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying industry. Members are Quality Assured and backed by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. We offer a wide range of business resources, health and safety, HR & technical support, plus training and member discounts—and we advocate for our members as a collective industry voice. Get in touch today!
