News & Views

5th July 2016

NECA's concerns with Energy Queensland

The Executive Director of the Queensland branch of the National Electrical and Communications Association, Mr Mick Logan has expressed his concerns with the Queensland Government’s decision to create a new business enterprise, Energy Queensland, to compete with family owned, small and medium sized electrical contractors.

“Today, NECA has written to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk asking her to reconsider the Government’s position with the creation of Energy Queensland,” Mr Logan said.

“We believe it’s the Government’s role to create the proper regulatory and safety settings to ensure an efficient, market-based sector.  The decision to create Energy Queensland to compete against Mums and Dads owned electrical contracting businesses, whilst adjacent Government departments regulate the sector, creates not only a negative perception of conflict, but the potential to seriously distort the market and drive up service prices once smaller players are driven out of business.”

“NECA questions whether this outcome is in the best interests of Queensland taxpayers. We believe the funds expended to create Energy Queensland could be redirected towards more critically urgent priorities,” said Mr Logan.

“We call on the Premier to reconsider this decision that will only deliver a negative impact upon electrical contracting services in Queensland, particularly across regional parts of our state.”

 

-ENDS-

 

Media enquiries and interviews

Barry Jackson – National Marketing and Communications

E barry.jackson@neca.asn.au

D 02 9962 6904

M 0457 767 328

 

Notes for editors

 

  1. NECA is the peak industry body representing the interests of electrical and communications contractors Australia-wide.
  2. NECA is run by electrical contractors, for electrical contractors.
  3. We have 5,000 contracting companies as members – and they in turn employ over 50,000 people Australia-wide.
  4. NECA employs almost 350 people across its seven chapters (Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia).
  5. The chapters provide NECA members with a range of services including: Industrial Relations, Health & Safety, Legal, Technical, Training, business-support services, product discounts and advocacy representation in Canberra with Government, Industry bodies and Training bodies.
  6. NECA wholly-owns its Legal firm, Group Training and the NECA Colleges (in WA) and EcoSmart Electricians – and has joint ventures with a superannuation company (NSW) and one of the national cabling registrars (ACRS).
  7. NECA also employ around 2,000 apprentice electricians and provides training to a further 2,000.

For further information go to www.neca.asn.au.

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