📜 Plumbers Licensing Amendment Bill 2025

Legislative Council Second ReadingLABill 3321 August 2025

This Bill amends the Plumbers Licensing Act 1995 to update the regulation of plumbing work in Western Australia. It shifts technical regulation to the Building Commissioner, broadens the definition of 'plumbing work', and increases penalties for offences.

Impact

This Bill affects plumbers, plumbing designers, and potentially property owners in Western Australia by changing how plumbing work is regulated, licensed, and enforced. It introduces new responsibilities for the Building Commissioner and significantly increases potential fines for non-compliance.

Key Changes

["Responsibility for technical regulation of plumbing work moves from the Plumbers Licensing Board to the Building Commissioner.", "The definition of 'plumbing work' is made more flexible to include new types of work and allow for regulation of design and verification.", "The maximum penalty for offences against the Regulations increases from $5,000 to $50,000.", "The time limit for commencing a prosecution for an offence increases from 12 months to two years.", "New provisions for information sharing and confidentiality are introduced for information obtained in the administration of the Act."]

Parliamentary Progress

LA IntroducedLA21 Aug 2025
LA Second Reading SpeechLA21 Aug 2025
LA Second Reading MovedLA21 Aug 2025
LA Second Reading AgreedLA11 June 2026
LA Consideration in DetailLA11 June 2026
LA Third ReadingLA11 June 2026
LC First ReadingLC16 June 2026
LC Second Reading MovedLC16 June 2026
LC Second Reading SpeechLC16 June 2026

Affected Sectors

constructionpublic_sectorutilities

Penalty Provisions2 found

💰 Max fine: $50,000criminal

4Criminalfine

Amendment to section 59K(a) of the Plumbers Licensing Act 1995, increasing the fine amount.

Fine: $50,000

“In section 59K(a) delete “$5 000; and” and insert: $50 000; and”

5(2)Criminalfine

The person commits an offence if the person directly or indirectly collects, discloses or uses information obtained in the administration of this Act; and the collection, disclosure or use is not authorised under this section.

Fine: $10,000

“Penalty for this subsection: a fine of $10 000.”

View on Parliament website →Bill PDF EM PDF