A Word from the National Office – January 2011
A Word from the National Office – January 2011
The New Year brings new challenges and new opportunities for electrical and communications contractors in Australia.
NECA CEO James Tinslay
The immediate challenge for many NECA members in 2011 was assisting in the recovery efforts following the devastating Queensland Floods. I am pleased to say that electrical contractors in Queensland, who many were affected by flooding themselves, pulled together and worked tirelessly to undertake inspections of around 30,000 homes so the electricity could to be reconnected to thousands of people.
NECA members in Victoria and Northern NSW also dealt with severe flooding and their efforts have been equally as heartwarming.
As the clean-up continues, the opportunities for our industry to help those affected will become clearer. It is expected many homes, farms and business will need completely new electrical and communications installations.
This year will also see energy efficiency grow as an important issue and the use of LED lights will become more popular. NECA will continue to represent the best interests of the industry in several forums to ensure contractors have the latest information on these two growth areas.
Some of the NECA State Chapters are launching new member services including NECA Jobs – a platform for contractors to help find suitable employees. The suite of member services and tools are always expanding at NECA and this is something we aim to improve and grow each year.
Finally, two of the biggest issues facing our industry will continue throughout 2011. The administrative processes to establish a national licence are well underway and NECA sits on a committee to ensure electrical contractors are well represented. It is still anticipated that a national licensing system will commence in July 2012.
The finer details on the National Broadband Network (NBN) are still difficult to come across but as the year moves forward I’m sure more of the technical aspects of the plan will be released. Our industry and the general public are keen to hear the full plan so we can work on strategies on how best to support the biggest infrastructure project in Australia’s history. Through numerous committees and our strong government relations, NECA will provide our members with latest information on the NBN.
I hope 2011 is a successful year for your businesses and I’m sure it will be a tremendous year for our industry.
Kind Regards
James Tinslay
NECA CEO
