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| Ms SCRYMGOUR (Education, Employment and Training): Madam Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time. The purpose of this bill is to amend the Electrical Workers and Contractors Act to address the common expiry date of 30 June for contractors’ licences and allow contractor licences periods of up to three years, as in most jurisdictions. Currently, if a company or a sole trader applies for an electrical contractor’s licence this month, an annual licence fee is payable. No matter what date the licence is granted, it will expire on 30 June each year. As an example, a new contractor who applies for a licence in April is likely to have it approved in May and will receive a licence which expires in six weeks. The common expiry date also creates an enormous peak in workload for NT WorkSafe and the Territory Business Centres who receive all licence fees on behalf of the Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Board. Currently, renewal applications are sent out in mid-May and processing commences by the end of May through to early October. There are 559 licensed electrical contractors in the Northern Territory. The proposed amendments seek to rectify this problem. The Electrical Workers and Contractors Licensing Board are supportive of amendments that would relieve this peak in renewal of contractor licences. The majority of contractors will also welcome the change, as the end of the financial year is a busy period for any business. The bill also amends the act to provide an option for an extension of a contractor’s licence for up to three years. An extended term would generate further efficiencies and reduce the compliance burden for electrical contractors without compromising consumer protection. It is consistent with our government’s commitment to cutting red tape for business. Madam Speaker, I commend this bill to honourable members and table the explanatory statement to accompany the bill. Debate adjourned. |