An outstanding conference

Firstly, I’d like to thank the Master Plumbers team, our members and Business Partners for the outstanding conference in ōtautahi Christchurch. We’re so pleased with the member engagement at the event, which culminated in the New Zealand Plumbing Awards and the celebration of our industry leaders for 2023.

I particularly want to congratulate Cam Devine and Mandy Burgess from Devine Plumbing in Napier, recipients of the 2023 New Zealand Master Plumber of the Year Award and the Jackson Women in Plumbing Award. They are amazing representatives of a business that focuses on its team culture and local Hawke’s Bay community. This is a wonderful achievement for their team.

Also from the Hawke’s Bay region is James Douglas Medallion winner Tyson Kihi. Tyson is an outstanding young man, who made the bold decision to change careers for his own and his family’s benefit.

We made some changes to this year’s conference format, including more participatory panels. We’re very happy with what this delivered and, as ever, we will be looking at ways to enhance the content and delivery for next year’s event at Tākina Wellington Convention Centre.

The Construction Contracts Act amends will be passed into law this October. As part of the Specialist Trade Contractors Federation, Master Plumbers is very supportive of this change. Ultimately, the money held in any retention fund needs to be secured for subcontractors and protected by law.

The fines for companies and directors under the new regime should be a strong deterrent to non-compliance for head contractors. I still believe no retentions are the best option, but it will be up to individual companies to negotiate the best terms for each contract.

The government has announced the extension to the Apprenticeship Boost scheme until December 2024. Master Plumbers has advocated for this extension for some time, so we welcome this positive outcome. If Labour is reelected, it has committed to extending the scheme indefinitely.

Although all three trades of plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying are now on the immigration Green List, in the year to date, only 35 applications have been received by the Plumbers, Gasfitters and Drainlayers Board for recognition of overseas licences. What this proves is that we are only going to rectify skills shortages by training more apprentices.

The Apprenticeship Boost means employers will receive $12,000 in government funding for every new apprentice they employ. As an employer of apprentices, Masterlink applies for this funding and arranges for it to be paid directly to eligible host employers.

Finally, the Climate Change Commission’s second draft report to the government has suggested a limited restriction on new gas connections. Master Plumbers have provided feedback to the Commission on their proposals, but we believe their position is na?ve, given that the gas industry is proposing to transition to carbon-neutral fuels. This has been supported by government with $100 million funding of the hydrogen research project in Southland—$43 million of this in the first four years.

Why would New Zealand not look at a gas resource that was carbon neutral and able to provide alternatives to the current electrification option? Dr Grant Bourke of Rinnai noted at the conference that New Zealand would need another 22 Clyde Dams if we were to electrify everything. We all know that with the current Resource Management Act, the cost to facilitate these is not a realistic option for the New Zealand economy.

We need to be working with gas providers to fast track the transition to renewable gases and have bipartisan support for this endeavour.

Greg Wallace, CEO

Master Plumbers, Gasfitters & Drainlayers NZ | Masterlink Mentored Apprenticeships

Ki te kore nga putake e mākukungia e kore te rakau e tupu | If the roots of the tree are not watered, the tree will not grow