The Certificate III course, which is needed in this State to install air-conditioning units, is conducted by TAFE, and requires 150 hours of study, yet while Gordon Specialist Courses charge $2,000, they graduate students after just 24 hours of training. For a refrigeration mechanic to operate legally in New South Wales, they need a purchaser licence for coolant gases, a user-handler licence for refrigerants, a contractor licence issued by Fair Trading, plus a minimum certificate III from TAFE that is obtained by attending TAFE three days every three weeks, over a three-year period.
By completing the Gordon Specialist Courses training, some tradespeople are acquiring a certificate qualification then going into the community and installing refrigerated air conditioners. It is possible for someone with a certificate II to meet the federal requirements to purchase and handle refrigerant gases. They can also obtain the New South Wales Fair Trading contractor licence as a qualified electrician or plumber, and this combination then allows some unscrupulous operators to bypass the New South Wales requirement for certificate III qualifications to carry out installation and repairs.
Consumers have few ways of finding out whether a contractor has all of the qualifications required in New South Wales as I have outlined, or whether they are in fact unqualified under New South Wales law. This situation has already led to a number of consumers having to get other qualified personnel to repair unsatisfactory workmanship, leading to increased costs for the consumer. Another important consideration is that many of the refrigerant gasses used are particularly dangerous to the environment, and at a time when climate change is so much of an issue any mishandling of these products can lead to unnecessary and avoidable environmental problems.
Refrigerants are part of the problem we face with climate change. Already governments have acted to safeguard the environment by withdrawing chlorofluorocarbons. Since 2006, hydrocarbons, fluorocarbons and chlorocarbons have begun to be withdrawn from use, with 2010 set as the final withdrawal deadline. The replacement high-pressure refrigerant 410A also poses serious risks if mishandled. Unfortunately a death has already occurred in Queensland when this gas was mishandled and it exploded. This is reason enough that only properly qualified personnel are permitted to handle these products.
Gordon Specialist Courses are currently advertising their three-day courses in Narrabri on 4, 5 and 6 July and in Coffs Harbour on 9, 10 and 11 July. I have been advised that Inverell may also have a course offered shortly. I believe that Fair Trading must examine these courses and the way they are marketed to ensure that well-meaning contractors are not led to believe that they will acquire qualifications that these courses do not deliver. The advertising, to me, appears to suggest that graduates of the three-day course can start installing split systems upon completion, when in fact the Certificate 2 is not an adequate qualification in this State.
I also suggest that Fair Trading undertake random examination of north-west based air-conditioning installers to check that they hold the appropriate qualifications. Similarly, it may also be a good idea for the Vocational Training Board to examine the accreditation of course providers such as Gordon Specialist Courses in New South Wales. This problem will not only be apparent in Tamworth; it is a matter of concern that will occur across this State. We have a responsibility to ensure that New South Wales tradespeople are not misled by such courses, and that we uphold the integrity of TAFE courses offered across the State. We must protect members of the community from substandard tradespeople and the long-term financial implications that incorrect instillation can cause. Lastly but equally important is the need protect our environment.
The State of New South Wales has set very high standards in all of these areas, while other states lag well behind. Qualifications from interstate must not bypass our high standards. It is our responsibility to ensure that these standards are maintained and members of the community are protected. I ask the Minister for Fair Trading to act on these concerns before local consumers are disadvantaged, and before a well-intentioned but underqualified tradesperson loses their life, as has already happened in Queensland.
Ms LINDA BURNEY (Canterbury—Minister for Fair Trading, Minister for Youth, and Minister for Volunteering) [6.22 p.m.]: I will take up this issue urgently. This matter has not been brought to my attention, and I know that the member for Tamworth has delivered some information to my office. I will also liaise with the Minister for Education and Training, who has responsibility for VTAB in relation to the rigor of the Gordons Specialist Courses. I will take on board the example of a disastrous outcome in Queensland. I can assure the member for Tamworth that consumer protection is our highest priority, and obviously qualifications for tradespeople are an important part of that. I also take on board the member's suggestion of random examinations in the region.
Private members' statements noted.
[ ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Thomas George) left the chair at 6.23 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. ]
