Electrical peak body Master Electricians Australia (MEA) today blasted a proposal to abolish licensing for the electrical contracting industry, saying it would put consumers and workers in mortal danger.

Master Electrician Australia CEO Malcolm Richards blasted the proposal by the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) to allow “low-risk trades” to operate without professional licenses.

“I don’t know what is more stupid – the notion that unlicensed people should be allowed to operate as electricians, or that working with electricity is a “low-risk trade” for unqualified people,” Mr Richards said.

“Either way, it’s a dumb idea. Working with electricity is extremely dangerous for people without the proper qualifications.

“We see too many lives lost every year as a result of preventable electrical accidents, many of them caused by people who simply don’t know what they are doing.

“One of the most important messages we have as an industry is that electricity can kill you if it’s not used properly, and that people should never do their own electrical work.

“Now we have a proposal from an organisation that should know better to encourage unlicensed people into the electrical contracting sector.

“It’s a dumb plan, and any regulator or politician who implements it will carry the responsibilities for the injuries and deaths that will inevitably result.”

Mr Richards said he understood the need for more workers to manage the demand on the industry and reduce pressure on prices.

However, he said allowing people to take short cuts on their qualifications and safety was no way to solve the problem.

“Let’s have a proper discussion about how to deal with capacity constraints in the economy. We are certainly open to looking at a range of options, but putting deadly tools into the hands of  unqualified people will never be one of them.”

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