- Crisafulli Government cuts unnecessary red tape to get more qualified plumbers into the workforce faster.
- New licensing reforms remove the 12-month provisional licence requirement for eligible Australian trained plumbing graduates.
- Helps experienced plumbers return to the trade more easily, helping Queensland tackle Labor's skills shortage and build more homes.
- The Crisafulli Government is building Queensland's future after a decade of decline under Labor.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering simpler licensing pathways for Queensland plumbers, cutting unnecessary red tape and making it easier for qualified tradies to get to work.
Labor's decade of decline left Queensland with a housing crisis and a construction industry weighed down by unnecessary costs and regulation.
The reforms are part of the Crisafulli Government's commitment to making it easier to build in Queensland, removing burdensome regulation and supporting the skilled workforce needed to deliver more homes.
Australian plumbing apprenticeship graduates who have completed a Certificate III in Plumbing will be able to apply directly for a full occupational licence, removing the previous requirement to hold a provisional licence for 12 months.
The reforms will also make it easier for experienced plumbers to return to the workforce, with eligible former licensees able to reapply for the same licence class and type within 10 years of their licence expiring, without having to repeat qualifications assessments or undertake unnecessary gap training.
The updated licensing framework retains existing requirements for supervision, practical experience and contractor licensing, ensuring consumer protections and industry standards remain in place.
Provisional licences will also remain available for applicants with qualification gaps or overseas qualifications.
The changes build on the Crisafulli Government's Building Reg Reno reforms, which have already delivered practical benefits for the plumbing industry by cutting paperwork and removing unnecessary licensing costs.
These include removing annual Minimum Financial Requirements reporting for individual QBCC licensees in the SC1 and SC2 categories, cutting paperwork for more than 97 per cent of small builders and sole traders. Since last year, around 50,000 individual licensees no longer need to provide annual financial reports to the QBCC.
The Government has also made occupational licences free for plumbers who already pay for a QBCC contractor licence to carry out certain fire protection work.
The latest reforms follow a review of Queensland's plumbing and drainage licensing framework and bring the state's requirements more closely into line with other Australian jurisdictions.
Minister for Housing and Public Works Sam O'Connor said the changes were another practical step towards fixing Queensland's construction industry after Labor's decade of decline.
"We're cutting the red tape that's been holding qualified Queensland tradies back from getting on the tools," Minister O'Connor said.
"At a time when we need more skilled workers building homes across Queensland, it makes absolutely no sense to put unnecessary hurdles in front of people who have already completed their training.
"If you've done your apprenticeship, earned your qualification and shown you've got the skills, you shouldn't have to jump through another 12 months of licensing hoops.
"And if you're an experienced plumber looking to return to the trade, we're making that process simpler too.
"Labor left Queensland with a housing crisis and a construction industry weighed down by unnecessary costs and regulation.
"We're doing things differently, cutting red tape, backing our tradies and making it easier to build the homes Queenslanders need."
Master Plumbers' Association of Queensland CEO Penny Cornah welcomed the Crisafulli Government's reforms to strengthen the plumbing industry workforce.
"We have advocated for these practical changes, and we welcome the Crisafulli Government's action to make it easier for Queensland's plumbing industry," Ms Cornah said.
"Removing the provisional licence requirements for eligible apprentices recognise their qualifications and skills, while making it easier for experienced plumbers return to the trade more easily."
