Dris proposal for national licensing of the electrical occupations

Time cost of applying for a licence

It is assumed that it takes 30 minutes for a licence applicant to apply for an electrical licence (either worker or contractor). There is little information on the time cost of applying for a licence relating specifically to the electrical occupations. An estimate has been sourced from the Victorian Regulatory Impact Statement on the proposed Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2010 – it is assumed that this estimate holds for all other jurisdictions.

The South Australian regulator has commented that this estimate would overestimate the costs of applying for a licence. In the absence of any other information, 30 minutes per licence is assumed to be a reasonable estimate.

Note that this time cost only applies to licences applied for in a licensee’s home jurisdiction. Applying for a licence under mutual recognition is assumed to take longer due to additional search costs. The assumptions under mutual recognition are outlined later in this attachment.

Table H.15: Time cost of applying for an electrical licence (worker and contractor)

Assumptions	Unit	Value	Source
Time cost of applying for a licence – all licences except those under mutual recognition
All jurisdictions	Hours per licence	0.5 hours	Energy Safe Victoria, Victorian Regulatory Impact Statement on the proposed Electricity Safety (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2010, page 84. ‘Time cost imposed by proposed Regulations – completion of an application [for an electrical licence]’ is 30 minutes per licence

Time cost of renewing a licence

It is assumed that renewing a licence is less onerous than applying for a new licence. A proxy based on the estimated effort to government (as illustrated by the renewal/new fee differential) has been used for illustrative purposes. The figures in Tables H.16 and H.17 are used to reduce the time component associated with applying for a licence. For example, in New South Wales it is assumed that it takes 27 minutes (90 per cent of 30 minutes) to renew a licence.

These percentages also apply under mutual recognition; however, further assumptions apply under mutual recognition.

Table H.16: Percentage of new licence costs incurred on renewal – contractor

Assumption	Unit	Value	Source
Fee differential between renewal and new licences
NSW	%	90%	Based on contractor licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
Vic	%	75%	Based on contractor licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
Qld	%	75%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.
WA	%	75%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.
SA	%	56%	Based on contractor licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
Tas	%	75%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.
ACT	%	69%	Based on contractor licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
NT	%	75%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.

Table H.17: Percentage of new licence costs incurred on renewal – non-contractor

Assumption	Unit	Value	Source
Fee differential between renewal and new licences
NSW	%	90%	Based on contractor licence fee differential between new and renewal licences. As the worker renewal licence fee is $0, the contractor licence renewal/new differential has been applied for illustrative purposes.
Vic	%	32%	Based on worker licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
Qld	%	62%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.
WA	%	62%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.
SA	%	55%	Based on worker licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
Tas	%	62%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.
ACT	%	69%	Based on worker licence fee differential between new and renewal licences.
NT	%	62%	New and renewal fees are the same, which would lead to 100%. As this is a proxy for applying to time, an average of all other jurisdictions where the percentage is not 100% has been applied for illustrative purposes.