National licensing

In July 2008, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed to introduce a national licensing system. This would involve establishing a governing policy body, with licensing administration and enforcement activities being undertaken on its behalf by states and territories under co-operative national legislation. In November 2010, nominations were publicly called for the position of Chair and Board members of the new National Occupational Licensing Authority. Announcements are awaited.

Permanent occupational licence advisory committees will be created to advise the authority. In the meantime, Queensland’s Electrical Safety Office (ESO) has a nominee on the Electrical Occupations Interim Advisory Committee (EOIAC) which reports to a National Licensing Steering Committee. The ESO representative also participates in a regulators’ working group addressing detailed provisions, including conditions of licence classes.

Model Occupational Licensing Regulations are currently being drafted and, together with a Regulation Impact Statement, are expected to be released in mid-July 2011 for public consultation.
In November 2010, the Queensland Government passed the Occupational Licensing National Law (Queensland) Act 2010. It has yet to be proclaimed. Consequential amendments to the licensing provisions of the Electrical Safety Act 2002 will be drafted for government consideration by early 2012.

The planned ongoing timetable is: