Hon. Kate Doust questions the Minister for Commerce regarding the progress and timeline of the intergovernmental agreement for the national electrical equipment safety scheme. The Minister provides updates on negotiations and next steps.

AnsweredQoN 1169Legislative Council
Asked
19 October 2016
Portfolio
Commerce

QuestionView source ↗

NATIONAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SAFETY SCHEME
1169. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for
Commerce:
I refer to the Department of
Commerce's ''Annual Report 2015–16'' and the
significant issues impacting the agency. My question is in relation to
electrical equipment and appliance safety.
(1) How long has
the Western Australian government been participating in negotiations with the
other states and territories to prepare an intergovernmental agreement for
managing the proposed national electrical equipment safety scheme?
(2) What is the status of the
negotiations?
(3) When is the intergovernmental
agreement scheduled to be finalised?
(4) What are the next steps
following the finalisation of the intergovernmental agreement?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) Negotiations on the
intergovernmental agreement began in October 2014.
(2) The last
meeting of the task force working on the IGA was in June 2015. A first draft of
the proposed IGA was circulated in August 2015. Energy Safe Victoria is
coordinating the development of the IGA with all other jurisdictions. The
intent of the IGA is to ensure that all participating jurisdictions have
nationally consistent legislation for the management of electrical equipment
safety. It commits jurisdictions to recognise a common register of approved
equipment and have common requirements for equipment approvals and enforcement.
While awaiting further progress on the IGA, the director of EnergySafety has
amended the legislated registers of prescribed and approved electrical
appliances in Western Australia to recognise the national register of
electrical equipment.
(3) No time frame has been agreed.
(4) Once the IGA
is finalised and signed off by all parties, the government may propose
legislative amendments to implement some of the other commitments made under
the IGA.

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