Duynhoven Harry: Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Bill — Second Reading 
Duynhoven Harry: Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:635;Page:6608] 
Hon HARRY DUYNHOVEN (Associate Minister of Energy) 
: 
 I move  
That the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Bill be now read a second time 
. In doing so I again thank the chairperson of the Commerce Committee Katherine Rich and the members of the committee especially Maryan Street for the work they have done on considering the bill including hearing and responding to comments received on it. I particularly thank Hazel Armstrong barrister and solicitor for her independent report on the relationships in the plumbing gasfitting and drainlaying industry and all those who made submissions to the Commerce Committee. Their considerable time and careful work has helped to improve this bill. 
The bill will repeal and replace the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act 1976. Formerly the bill made up Parts 5 to 8 of the Energy Safety Review Bill as it was introduced but it was separated from that bill at the select committee stage to allow more detailed consideration of a number of issues raised in submissions from the plumbing gasfitting and drainlaying sectors. The bill sits alongside the Energy Safety Review Bill the second reading of which we have just been debating as part of a package to enhance the safe delivery and use of electricity and gas and to deliver good health outcomes arising from plumbing and drainlaying. 
The initial driver for the bill was the review of the occupational regulation of gasfitters alongside the similar review of the regulation of electrical workers under the Energy Safety Review Bill. It was a logical extension to also address the occupational regulation of plumbers and drainlayers as they are covered by the same Act and registration board. Also for the most part gasfitters are also plumbers and often work alongside or in conjunction with electrical workers. Broadly the two bills between them introduce consistent regimes for these sectors based on the registration of workers competency-based licensing updated procedures for addressing complaints against workers and updated enforcement provisions. 
During the select committee process it became evident that the industry was raising a number of issues about how the current regime is working. I particularly thank the committee for taking the extra time to work through these difficult issues with key industry stakeholders and to think about how these might be addressed in this bill and be reflected in the Energy Safety Review Bill. The particular amendments proposed from this process include providing greater clarity about the respective roles of the industry training organisation and the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board requiring more accountability from that board and providing greater ministerial control and oversight of the activities of the board. The report prepared by Hazel Armstrong earlier this year at the request of the Hon Dr Michael Cullen Minister for Tertiary Education provided an independent view on the relationships between the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board and the Plumbing Gasfitting and Drainlaying Industry Training Organisation. Overall the report makes many recommendations and those relating to the Energy Safety Review Bill were considered by the select committee. 
As with electrical workers the bill retains a dual registration and licensing system that plays a key role in consumer protection. Consumers and their families need assurance that plumbing gasfitting and drainlaying work is performed competently and safely. Registration recognises a practitioner’s initial obtainment of competence. Licences will be issued on the basis of a practitioner safely completing relevant competence programmes. This ensures that the competence of these tradespeople is up to date with any developments in the industry. This arrangement is also supported by the addition of limited certificates for trainees who need to be recognised while training but who have not yet reached full competency. 
The bill improves access to the registers of licensed workers to enable the public to easily recognise a licensed worker. The bill also allows the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board to delegate some of its registration and licensing powers to the Electrical Workers Registration Board. For example gasfitters should be more easily able to gain the competence and registration needed to do the particular electrical work needed to install the increasing number of gas appliances that need mains electricity supply or that incorporate electronic controls rather than having to call in another tradesperson. This has to be beneficial for consumers. Many people these days who have gas appliances need an electronically capable person in order to have the servicing done properly. 
This flexibility is accompanied by stronger accountabilities imposed on the board. The board will be required to follow guiding principles set down in the legislation; to consult with stakeholders; to obtain the Minister’s approval for registration classes and notices relating to registration standards terms and conditions; and to report outcomes in an annual report. A particular requirement that directs the board to consider whether it should keep the existing classes of registration has been added to the bill. The board must consult with industry representatives and interested parties in this process. 
There is currently a special exemption for gasfitting in large industrial installations that is based on the recognition of “an approved person in charge”. This arrangement is to be replaced by an exemption that will allow the person in charge of the premises to authorise a person to supervise the work on large gas installations. This recognises the need for competent workers but also recognises that in large plants such as gas-fired power stations the nature of this competency is very different from that required by gasfitters working on consumer and commercial premises. What is required in a home or a business may well be very different from the skills required in a large power station for example. 
The bill also proposes some changes to the appointments to the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. There will continue to be two plumbers two gasfitters and two drainlayers appointed with one of each required to hold at least a current practising licence. Also one of the board appointments must have experience in relevant tertiary or vocational education and two must be consumer representatives. These changes ensure that up-to-date industry knowledge is available to the board. 
During the development of this bill the opportunity was taken to make small amendments to the legislation that did not involve major policy changes. For example the definitions of gasfitting and sanitary plumbing have been updated and better reflect modern practices. When we read the current Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Act we see that there are some quite archaic terms in it that probably do not reflect modern practice and it was seen to be the time to update some of these things. 
The bill also provides for a review of the operation of this legislation 3 years from the date of its commencement. Following that review a report will be provided to the Minister of building and housing. It will also be presented to the House. 
I am very pleased to support this bill. It will improve the occupational regulation of plumbing gasfitting and drainlaying and the operation of the Plumbers Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board. Plumbers gasfitters and drainlayers have made an excellent contribution to health outcomes for New Zealand. The improvements that this bill introduces will ensure that such contributions continue. The bill will provide greater assurance of safety to consumers wanting to get gas work undertaken. It will also make it easier for tradespeople to gain competencies that are relevant to their particular tasks. 
It is hoped that these amendments will help attract more people into the plumbing gasfitting and drainlaying industries as these trades are very important to New Zealand’s social and economic well-being. The bill was developed—contrary to what we heard previously—with substantial industry involvement and I again thank the Commerce Committee for its excellent work. There have been some teething problems but hopefully we have ironed most of them out and I look forward to the Committee stage of this bill. The amended bill comes back with the unanimous support of the select committee and I commend the bill to the House. Thank you Mr Deputy Speaker.