National Plumbing Associations Alliance

The National Plumbing Associations Alliance (NPAA) represents Master Plumbers Association organisations across the country in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland, Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory.

Over the past couple of years the NPAA has grown in strength, working on the excellent co-operative relationships that exist between member organisations. This had led to the adoption of a unified NPAA policy position in the areas of licensing; qualifications and regulation. That position is that NPAA should strive to achieve:-

• uniformity in national licensing of plumbing contractors;
• uniformity in national regulation; and
• uniformity in national training delivery.

Whilst these goals may seem altruistic and extremely difficult to achieve, they nonetheless are the underpinning policy that drives the work of NPAA in making submissions to both State/Territory and Federal Governments on these issues. Of more recent times NPAA submitted a consolidated view on Award Modernisation to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, supported the adoption of a National Single Agency model for National Licensing and supported the adoption of the Plumbing Code of Australia (PCA) by all States and Territories under a National Construction Code where the PCA has equal standing with the Building Code of Australia (BCA), but not consolidated into the BCA.


 
NPAA Conference - Fiji

The Inaugural National Plumbing Association Alliance (NPAA) Conference was held in Fiji - 19th - 26th September, 2009.

Plumbers from across Australia descended on the Sofitel Fiji Resort, Denarau Island, Nadi, for the conference. The seven day conference enabled delegates from all States and Territories to have the opportunity to meet, network and gain insight into the future directions of the plumbing industry across Australia and the South Pacific.

Sunday saw delegates and partners spend the day settling into the Fijian way of life prior to attending the official welcome reception on Sunday night.

The Conferences opening address was given by Jone Usamate, Director-General Training Productivity Authority of Fiji (TPAF). The address covered the broad range of training issues managed by the TPAF and the desire to increase the quality of training outcomes.

The conference included seminars on gas fitter training facilitated by Harvey Probit and Tom Cole from Fiji Gas and Origin Energy - Queensland, Plumbing Training in the South Pacific facilitated by Ian Wells, Project Director - APTC raising awareness of delegates' knowledge about training conducted by the Australian Pacific Technical College at the plumbing school in Samoa and Fiji's unique eco-friendly challenge with water management.

An open forum discussion on future directions on Australian national plumbing regulation and licensing Whilst delegates were locked in discussions about plumbing in Australia and the South Pacific.

Delegates and their partners also spent time sampling the delights of the resort and the region including the conference golf day and for those non-golfers delegates parties set about exploring Nadi, the island, relaxing and being pampered in the splendour of the South Pacific. the conference golf day.

Friday, participants spent the day enjoying the Resort's facilities and took a number of tours to see more of the Island, before returning home to normality on Saturday. Plumbers and partners attending the conference all commented on the excellent time spent at this year's conference - gaining valuable information about their industry as well as having a wonderful time at the conference.