weekly hansard - Queensland Parliament - Queensland Government

23 Aug 2005 Plumbing and Drainage and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2627
the bill are, in fact, extremely limited, and entry other than by consent or warrant is only to public places
where members of the public are entitled to enter under ordinary circumstances. Suitable safeguards in
relation to entry and post-entry powers are included in these provisions.
Secondly, the committee notes that the bill inserts two definitions incorporating terms of external
and government generated documents which are not subordinate legislation. The incorporation of these
documents is considered appropriate in these circumstances to standardise terminology consistent with
nationally agreed codes. The Plumbing Code of Australia is a national code developed by the National
Plumbing Regulators Forum that documents nationally agreed performance requirements for plumbing
and drainage. It also contains product authorisation and certification processes that underpin national
standards. This code is adopted in whole or in part by each state and territory. A similar arrangement
applies with the Building Code of Australia.
I now turn to the issues raised by members during the debate. I thank the honourable member for
Mirani for his support in general for the bill and I thank him for his comments with which for the most part
I agree. Insofar as his comment about the enforcement provisions is concerned and a question that he
raised, in his tone at least, as to whether they are a bit over the top, the enforcement powers in the bill
are really quite constrained when examined more closely, and they are only what is needed to make
sure operators are complying with the legislation.
The bill also contains suitable safeguards against the misuse of enforcement powers. This issue
was brought to my attention in one of my early meetings with the Plumbers and Drainers Board. The
Plumbers and Drainers Board—which is, indeed, a valiant organisation and, I might say, hardworking—
meets infrequently but, nonetheless, gets on with the business of ensuring that there are proper
standards in the plumbing and drainage work done around Queensland.
The board has a significant role in the licensing of plumbers and drainers. Members of the board
expressed to me their concerns that the health risks and the safety risks of Queenslanders would be
considerable were we to have unlicensed people or people with licences performing work of a lower
standard. Should the board receive reports that seem to have some substance alleging that work is
substandard or being done by somebody who is not properly licensed, then it needs powers in
exceptional circumstances to investigate and ensure that the standards are being maintained.
I also take this opportunity to let members know that Mr Jorgen Gullestrup from the Plumbers
Union—a man whom I know only too well is devoted not only to dealing with the issues of the day for
plumbers and drainers but also to ensuring that there are good career paths for plumbers in years to
come and, I might say, is putting his mind to the issue of more women in the industry—has been
concerned, as all good professionals are, to make sure that all of the good operators in the field are not
in any way besmirched, as it were, by poor practice by the occasional individual. I thank him for his
general support for this bill and I give recognition to the important work that he and all of the members of
the union do all over Queensland. It is work that many of us in our households and in our businesses
take for granted.
The member for Mirani raised the issue of what other states of Australia have done with regard to
grey water reuse. In most other states—New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and
Tasmania—there are processes in place to regulate the installation of grey water facilities. However, I let
honourable members know that in Victoria, where grey water usage has not been so strictly controlled,
they have had a problem with grey water causing an environmental nuisance, and they are now moving
in Victoria to introduce stricter controls. The member also raised the issue of whether incentives should
be in place to encourage grey water facility installation. He quite rightly made the point that the cost of
installation will be difficult indeed for those retro-fitting houses on slabs. There is no doubt that the cost
will be considerable in those circumstances.
Funding at this point is being provided. However, this is in the first instance to support local
governments in implementing the legislation, in assessing applications, in training and in making sure
that the system is working. It is anticipated that, with the introduction of this legislation, builders will in
future fit piping to houses, even houses on slabs, so that they are grey water ready. While that does not
address the problem of retrofits, I think, nonetheless, that it is sensible in government to make one
significant change such as this and to allow some time for that system to be in place to see how it works.
Also of relevance on this particular issue is that all over the state of Queensland we are getting
the message that we will pay for our water one way or another and that, because it is so important, we
must use it wisely. We are getting the message that the precious resource of water will have to be paid
for, perhaps by reducing our use of potable water and putting our money instead into recycling initiatives
or grey water, through the councils via our rates or through various water bodies.
The member asked what is being done to train council officers. I am able to tell him that an
extensive training program is proposed that will assist councils to understand the proposed legislation
and the new Plumbing and Wastewater Code. The new code for grey water use will assist councils
understand the grey water technical requirements. The government has allocated significant funds for
training and public information. Nonetheless, this needs to be an optional matter for local governments
not only for soil variation reasons and even resourcing and training capacities within councils but also