Dris proposal for national licensing of the plumbing and gasfitting occupations

Australian Capital Territory

There are some general differences that would apply to new individual worker licence applicants when compared to current licensing arrangements and these include:

inclusion of financial probity checks for individual worker licences in relation to payment of penalties or fines

removal of some personal probity checks, evidence of experience requirements

potential introduction of a separate contractor-level licence for technically qualified individuals – currently licences are not issued specifically in relation to the ability to contract and there are no restrictions on contracting.

In the Australian Capital Territory a licence or registration is not currently issued for mechanical services plumbing and a licence is not issued for Restricted plumber’s (disconnect/reconnect) licence; under national licensing these will not be issued for these occupations.

Table E.7: Changes to existing licensing arrangements – Australian Capital Territory

Proposed national licence (occupational) categories, eligibility and other requirements	Changes to existing licence categories, eligibility and other requirements
Plumber licence Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) or Plumber tradesperson registration plus four compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Plumber – water supply plumber or Plumber – sanitary plumber New requirements: additional three Certificate IV units of competency financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience
Drainer licence Certificate III in Plumbing including the drainage stream and one compulsory unit or Certificate II in Drainage including two compulsory Certificate III units or Drainer tradesperson registration plus four compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Drainer – advanced sanitary drainer New requirements: additional two Certificate IV units of competency financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience
General gasfitter licence Certificate III in Gas Fitting including one compulsory Certificate II unit and two compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate lll in Plumbing including the gas services stream including one compulsory Certificate II units and one compulsory Certificate III unit or General gasfitter tradesperson registration plus four compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Gasfitter – advanced New requirements: additional two Certificate IV units of competency financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: experience additional testing separate licences for LPG (2)
Gasfitter Type B appliances licence General gasfitter licence or qualifications to obtain it plus one compulsory Certificate IV unit Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Gas Type B accreditation New requirements: none Removed requirements: experience additional testing
Fire protection licence Certificate III in Fire Protection or Fire protection tradesperson registration plus two compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Plumber – fire sprinkler fitter New requirements: none Removed requirements: none
Mechanical services licence Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) or Certificate lll in Plumbing including the mechanical services stream or Mechanical services tradesperson’s registration plus three compulsory Certificate IV units Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Not currently licensed and a national licence would not be issued for the mechanical services category in this jurisdiction.
Plumber – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Plumber – journeyperson plumber New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: none
Drainer – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Plumbing including the drainage stream including one compulsory Certificate III unit or Certificate II in Drainage plus two compulsory Certificate III units Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Drainer – journeyperson drainer New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: none
	Current title: Drainer – operative drainer New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: none
General gasfitter – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Gas Fitting including one compulsory Certificate II unit and two compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate III in Plumbing including the gas services stream including one compulsory Certificate II unit and one compulsory Certificate III unit Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Gasfitter – general New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: additional testing
	Current title: Gasfitter – journeyperson gasfitter New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: additional testing
Fire protection – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Fire Protection Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Plumber – journeyperson fire sprinkler fitter New requirements: financial probity check in relation to payment of penalties or fines Removed requirements: none
Mechanical Services – tradesperson registration Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) or Certificate III in Plumbing including the mechanical services stream Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Not currently licensed and a national licence would not be issued for the mechanical services category in this jurisdiction.
Contractor (in any category) One, three or five year licence duration	Current title: Contractor licence (issued only against full plumbing and gasfitting licences) New requirements: none Removed requirements: financial resources insurance experience
Provisional plumber (water and sanitary) Offshore Technical Skills Record successfully assessed against either of: Certificate III in Plumbing or Certificate III in Plumbing (Mechanical Services) One year licence duration	Substantially the same
Provisional drainer Offshore Technical Skills Record successfully assessed against Certificate III in Plumbing including the drainage stream and one compulsory Certificate III unit One year licence duration	Substantially the same
Provisional general gasfitter Offshore Technical Skills Record successfully assessed against either of: Certificate III in Gas Fitting including one compulsory Certificate II unit and two compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate lll in Plumbing including the gas services stream and one compulsory Certificate II unit and one compulsory Certificate III unit One year licence duration	Substantially the same
Restricted plumber (disconnect/reconnect) Completion of two compulsory units of competency from Certificate III in Plumbing and one compulsory unit from Certificate lV Plumbing and Services Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Not currently licensed and a national licence would not be issued for the restricted plumber’s (disconnect/reconnect) category in this jurisdiction.
Restricted plumber – urban irrigation work Certificate II in Urban Irrigation including four compulsory Certificate III units or Certificate III in Irrigation including five compulsory Certificate III units and two compulsory Certificate II units or Certificate III in Plumbing including three compulsory Certificate III units and one Certificate II selected compulsory unit Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Not currently licensed and a national licence would not be issued for the urban irrigation category in this jurisdiction.
Restricted plumber – fire protection (inspecting/ testing) Certificate II in Fire Protection Inspection and Testing Financial probity checks in relation to payment of penalties or fines Skills maintenance on an as needs basis when directed by the licensing authority One, three or five year licence duration	Not currently licensed and the ACT would choose whether to licence this category The ACT licences fire sprinkler fitters; however the work regulated is broader than inspect and test.