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Ladies and gentlemen, it's a pleasure to be here with you this afternoon on the Gold Coast.
I understand the Gold Coast has experienced some pretty wild weather over the past few days.
It is in situations where electricity supply workers are exposed to the elements that we see more than ever the importance of proper training to ensure safety for workers and the general public.
Electricity Supply Industry Skills Passport
That is why I welcome the introduction in recent months of the Australian Electricity Supply Industry Skills Passport that is providing a single, nationally consistent record of an individual worker's training and authorisations.
The Skills Passport is the culmination of a substantial work program undertaken by the Energy Networks Association in conjunction with EE-Oz, the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union and my Department.
A national record of workers' skills profiles can help with workforce planning and development of training pathways.
As part of the roll out of this initiative, more than 8,000 passports have already been issued across Australia.
In line with the theme of this year's conference, the Passport will enhance workforce development and productivity of the Electricity Supply Industry.
The Skills Passport fits into the broader work being undertaken to deliver greater harmonisation of jurisdictional requirements and standards for energy supply workers.
It is a sensible, practical initiative that allows industry to make the most of its workforce. It will increase the mobility of workers and go some way to addressing emerging skills shortages.
This is important not just in our cities but also across regional Australia where shortages are often felt most acutely.
The skilling of our workforce is a central concern for the Australian Government. That is why we are investing in Trade Training Centres and National Trade Cadetships.
We understand the importance of a skilled workforce to maintaining and growing a strong economy.
And our investments are already paying off.
Despite the challenges of the global financial crisis commencements in trade apprenticeships and traineeships are now the highest ever recorded.
As the Prime Minister noted in her speech to the Queensland media club yesterday, reform lifts productivity.
It is great to see reform already being implemented in the energy industry and I look forward to the productivity gains this will deliver.
Energy Supply Industry
As we're all aware, energy networks are critical to our national prosperity and economic activity.
The strength of our economy has been built on the back of a reliable energy supply network and it is my job as Minister for Resources and Energy to ensure this reliability of supply continues.
The Australian energy supply industry directly:
- Delivers electricity and gas to over 13.5 million customers
- Employs more than 40,000 people
- Has assets valued at over $50 billion
- And contributes 1.2 per cent to Australia's gross domestic product.
Being such an essential part of the community and Australia's economy, I am pleased to see there is a proper dialogue within the industry on workforce and productivity issues.
This is essential for sharing ideas and the on-going development of industry best-practice standards, and ensures the industry continues to have the well trained, skilled workers it needs into the future.
Jobs and prosperity
It is important to reflect on why as a Government we are focussed on skills, training and productivity.
Having a job and returning home safely at the end of the working day is of the upmost importance.
Furthermore, the capacity to increase one's skills should also be encouraged and pursued.
Investing in training and measures to enable greater mobility of workers provides increased opportunity, and can help our economy absorb pressures.
This includes pressures related to increased activity in the export driven resources and energy sectors.
By bringing skills to the sites where they're needed, we can plug more of the skills gaps that can hold back industry growth.
Hence, the importance of our agenda in harmonising jurisdictional regulatory safety regimes in the energy supply industry cannot be underestimated.
I would also make the point to employers, employees and their representatives that some long term thinking needs to be shown in the resources and energy sectors to ensure that Australia remains internationally competitive in an environment where there is no shortage of countries looking to expand their supply.
Can I also stress the importance of implementing other policies, such as delivering superannuation payments in these sectors above the 9 per cent minimum. This will expand our pool of savings and help manage inflationary pressures.
Furthermore, we need to make sure that employees and employers in our resources and energy workforce are mindful of the importance of ensuring workers receive on the job training to enhance their capacity and potential so that we are expanding our nation's overall productive capacity.
A mature approach is required to ensure we see increases in productivity.
Enhanced Harmonisation of Safety
Recognising the importance of harmonising state-based regulation in the energy supply industry, the Ministerial Council on Energy (MCE) agreed in June 2008 to establish the Energy Technical and Safety Leaders Group.
This group developed a plan and recommendations that were accepted in principle by the MCE in December 2009.
Governments are now finalising an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on Energy Supply Industry Safety. I anticipate the IGA will be agreed in the first half of 2011, to give effect to this plan.
The implementation of this framework is designed to:
- Contribute to greater public and worker safety
- Facilitate greater labour mobility
- Lower compliance burdens for businesses that operate in more than one jurisdiction
- And enable more efficient delivery of energy services.
This is important work, and I look forward to continued progress on this harmonisation agenda.
Harmonisation of National OH&S regulation
As many of you are aware, there is also ongoing work in the harmonisation of occupational health and safety laws.
This work is being undertaken by Safe Work Australia in consultation with industry and relevant state and territory governments.
The OHS reforms will result in model legislation to ensure a nationally standardised approach to OH&S.
The ongoing harmonisation of the energy supply industry safety framework will be consistent with, and build on, the work of Safe Work Australia.
National Occupational Licensing System
Additionally, the Council of Australian Governments is developing a national occupational licensing system.
This is designed to allow certain tradespeople to operate in all Australian jurisdictions with one license.
The initial occupational areas to which the national licensing system will be applied include electrical, air-conditioning, plumbing and gas-fitting.
The new national licensing system is expected to commence from 1 July 2012.
Emergency Response
The Passport is also an important step in further supporting swift and efficient emergency responses.
Although workers will still need to undertake normal induction processes, the majority of content in the passport will be nationally-recognised.
The work of the Passport builds on the National Refresher Training Recognition Protocol for the Electricity Supply Industry which was agreed at the end of last year.
It established a set of essential, nationally-recognised refresher training competencies for workers in the electricity supply industry.
These training units are endorsed and in use nationally and, just like the Passport, allow workers' skills to be recognised and transferable between states and territories, leading to greater efficiency overall.
Conclusion
As I have outlined, the energy supply industry has taken some important steps in enhancing the capacity of its workforce and hence improving productivity – but there is a lot of work still to be done.
I recognise the collaborative approach that has delivered these outcomes to date and I encourage those involved to continue to progress the harmonisation agenda.
Thank you.