As Queensland heads to the polls, MPAQ has engaged with the major political parties to find out their views on the future of our plumbing and gas industry.

Who you choose to vote for is yours to decide. MPAQ does not endorse any parties and will never ask you to vote a certain way. We seek to give you as much information about our trade as possible so that you can make an informed decision.

We asked the Australian Greens (AG), the Australian Labor Party (ALP), Katter's Australian Party (KAP), and the Liberal National Party (LNP) about their positions on the issues that are important to our industry, but we have not received a response from AG and KAP. 

Below is a side-by-side summary of the responses we received from the ALP and LNP.

	ALP	LNP
Critical Shortage of Plumbers and Gasfitters	Continue current programs to support employers and apprentices: free apprenticeships for under 25s, free tools for first years, extending the Apprentice and Trainee Wage rebate, and travel and accommodation allowance for apprentices.	LNP commits to assisting with training and training costs. This will include priority places in block training and subsidised wages for Small and Family Businesses during block training periods.
Local Government and Regulators	Continue to work with industry, local councils, and the QBCC regarding plumbing and drainage regulation, unlicensed work, and the Home Warranty Scheme.	LNP's first order of business will be to re-establish the Queensland Productivity Commission to conduct a regulatory review of the building industry. Part of this review is a call for public submissions to ensure feedback from consumers, industry, and unions.
Protecting the Renewable Gas Industry	ALP legislated the Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Act 2023 and invested $35 million in the Hydrogen Industry Development Fund that supported a number of pilot and early-stage projects to demonstrate hydrogen’s use as a safe, clean energy source No plans to ban natural gas connections to new homes and households.	There are no plans to ban natural gas connections in new homes or hospitals.
Security of Payments	Continue to support the roll-out of the trust account framework and collaborate with industry as the framework is finalised.	A Productivity Commission-led review would seek to identify ways to strengthen security of payments.
Other Priorities	Deliver cost of living relief ($1,300 off every Queenslander’s power bill, 50 cent public transport fares, cutting rego by 20%, free Kindy, free TAFE), build more homes, and deliver the Energy and Jobs Plan to power Queensland with cheap renewable energy.	LNP has been vocal about axing the Patients’ Tax that doctors have said are affecting GP visit prices, abolishing stamp duty on new builds for first home buyers, and addressing the shortage of qualified TAFE teachers.

Read the full text of their responses below.

Australian Labor Party (ALP)

Cost of Living Relief

Our Labor Government led by new Premier Steven Miles has delivered historic cost of living relief for all Queenslanders. By making multinational mining companies pay their fair share we have delivered $1,300 off every Queenslander’s power bill, 50 cent public transport fares, cutting rego by 20%, free Kindy, free TAFE, we banned rent bidding, cut stamp duty for first home buyers and delivered $200 FairPlay vouchers for all Queensland families to help with the cost of kids’ sport.

We also have an ambitious plan for Queensland's future – more health workers and more hospitals, more schools, roads, public transport, projects to keep Queenslanders in jobs and a universal free school lunch program at State primary schools. We’re building more homes for Queenslanders, delivering our nation-leading Energy and Jobs Plan to power our homes and economy with cheap firmed renewable energy and we’re acting on community safety with more police and crime prevention.

Renewable Gas Industry

The Miles Labor Government is committed to developing the renewable gas sector through the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan which identifies the need for 3GW of hydrogen ready gas-powered generation to firm our renewable energy grid.

We were proud to legislate the Gas Supply and Other Legislation (Hydrogen Industry Development) Amendment Act 2023 which enables the movement of hydrogen, biogas and other covered gasses through pipelines. This is a key enabler to projects underway such as the Gladstone Hydrogen Park (HyPark) and ensuring supply to the state’s first hydrogen ready gas peaker, the 400-megawatt Brigalow power station at the future Kogan Creek clean energy hub.

The Miles Labor Government’s $35 million Hydrogen Industry Development Fund supported a number of pilot and early-stage projects to demonstrate hydrogen’s use as a safe, clean energy source which included $2.72 million to support the Gladstone HyPark.

In reference to concerns raised in your letter, a Miles Labor Government will not ban natural gas connections to new homes and households.

Master Plumbers has been a highly valued advocate for the development of the hydrogen industry and has successfully brought together stakeholders from across the sector to help shape sensible, nation-leading hydrogen industry development policy.

If elected, a Miles Labor Government will continue working closely with you and your members to continue this important work and expand its application to support more clean energy opportunities.

Our new $15 million skills and training facility in Townsville* will fuel the region’s green hydrogen industry workforce and we will partner with the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre to deliver the training, building on our existing partnership at Beenleigh. We have also opened the state-of-the-art hydrogen and renewable energy training facility at the Bohle Trade Training Centre.

Support for Employers and Apprentices

The Miles Labor Government is turbo charging the construction sector by delivering a range of programs that directly support apprentices and incentivise employers to take them on. These include:

1. free apprenticeships for under 25s and free construction apprenticeships all of which have supported more than 89,000 Queenslanders since 2018;
2. free tools for first years;
3. extending the Apprentice and Trainee Wage rebate to 30 June 2025; and
4. providing a travel and accommodation allowance to apprentices.

We are ensuring that Queenslanders know that VET pathways to employment are as important as going to university. Free TAFE is providing much-needed cost of living relief to over 100,000 Queenslanders.

Our Hydrogen Gateway to Industry Schools Program (GISP) is putting young Queenslanders at school on track for a trade-based career. We are jointly funding two TAFE Centres of Excellence with the Australian Government that will bring together TAFE, training organisations, universities, industry, employers and registered unions.

Local Government and Regulators

We share your concerns regarding unlicenced work and in our Statement of Expectations to the QBCC, we identified a key focus should be ensuring industry participants are appropriately licensed. We will continue to support the QBCC in this work.

We also agree that having standardised processes that are up-to-date and fit-for-purpose will save time and money and deliver more homes faster. As part of our Homes for Queenslanders Plan, we are delivering the Distinctly Queensland Design series to provide clear, consistent codes for the sector. If re-elected, we will continue to work with industry, local councils and key stakeholders regarding plumbing and drainage regulation and the Home Warranty Scheme. 

The Miles Labor Government maintains its support for subbies to get paid for the work they do, and we continue to work with software developers to support the roll-out of the trust account framework, and to collaborate with industry as the framework is finalised. 

Final Words

We are already starting to see the positive effects of the Miles Labor Government Government’s investment in housing. The latest ABS data shows total residential work is 4% higher over the previous quarter, backed by a 7.2 per cent jump in new housing construction. This bucks the experience of other states where nationwide data shows a 2.9 per cent decrease over the year. 

In contrast, David Crisafulli and the LNP have outlined no vision other than to cut – projects, jobs and essential services.

Mr Crisafulli is a risk to Queensland, and he will cut what matters to Queenslanders, just like the LNP did last time including undermining the construction sector by closing over 30 TAFE campuses, sacking over 2,100 TAFE teachers and reducing the number of tradies by cutting Queensland’s apprentice intake.

The Miles Labor Government deeply values the collaborative and constructive relationship we have with Master Plumbers and look forward to working together in the future.

Liberal National Party (LNP)

Future Gases

The LNP has committed to ensuring that Queensland’s power supply is affordable, reliable and sustainable for Queenslanders today, as well as future generations to come. Our party has no plans to ban natural gas connections in new homes or hospitals.

Critical Shortage of Plumbers and Gasfitters

Over the last nine years, the Palaszczuk/ Miles Labor government has missed their apprenticeship completion target by 17,600. That’s 17,600 tradies and skilled workers, including plumbers, drainers and gasfitters, that we don’t have in Queensland.

The LNP is committed to improving apprenticeship completions and boosting Queensland's skilled workforce. We will ensure that Queensland has the training capacity needed to meet sector demands and ensure access to training opportunities.

The LNP understands the cost impact on Small and Family Businesses to employ and train an apprentice.

Block training for apprentices is often an issue with many apprentices unable to secure a place.  The lack of places available for block training is a disincentive for small businesses to put on an apprentice.  Shortages of block training places is also contributing to apprentices dropping out before completing their apprenticeship.

The costs for small businesses as they pay the apprentice wages while they are on their training block is also difficult for small businesses.

The LNP will commit to assisting with training and training costs. This will include priority places in block training and subsidised wages for Small and Family Businesses during block training periods.

Local Government and Regulators

In 2022, the LNP committed to re-establish the Queensland Productivity Commission. The Commission was abolished by the Labor Government in 2021.

As part of the Leader of the Opposition’s budget reply speech in June this year, the LNP revealed that the first order of business by a re-established Queensland Productivity Commission would be to conduct a regulatory review of the building industry. The review will seek to identify ways to strengthen the building industry, making it easier to build a house in Queensland. As part of this review, we will call for public submissions in relation to the terms of reference and ensure we hear from consumers, industry and unions.

It is our sincere hope that should Government change, Master Plumbers’ Association of Queensland would play an active part in contributing to the Productivity Commission’s review.

Security of Payments

Sub-contractors play an integral role in the good functioning of Queensland’s building industry. Many are small and family businesses, whose values align closely with those of the LNP. The LNP firmly believe that all trade contractors should be paid in full and on time for the work they do.

Given this, it is important to note that the LNP did not oppose Building Industry Fairness (security of Payment) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2024, which came before the Parliament earlier this year. As you and your members will be aware, this legislation dealt with changes around the Project Trust Account framework.

As referenced earlier in this letter, should Government change, a Productivity Commission led review would seek to identify ways to strengthen the construction industry.

North Queensland Training Centre*

While the LNP has not committed to a new training centre in Townsville, we are committed to ensuring TAFE is equipped to deliver the training Queensland needs. 

There is a huge shortage of skilled construction trades people and with the amount of construction needed now and into the future for housing, Olympics and other infrastructure, Queensland does not have enough skilled workers to build the infrastructure Queensland needs.

The LNP will have a focus on construction industry skills, and we are open to ongoing conversations to ensure we have the right training available at TAFE where it is needed.

TAFE are currently dealing with a shortage of TAFE teachers across Queensland and the LNP will address the shortage of qualified TAFE teachers as a matter of urgency to ensure training is available where it is needed.

Final Words

In conclusion, after a decade of Labor, Queensland is heading in the wrong direction on the key issues of Youth Crime, Health, Cost of living and Housing.

Our State needs a Fresh Start and the LNP has The Right Plan for Queensland’s Future, which includes:

• Safety where you live – through stronger laws like Adult Crime, Adult Time and gold standard early intervention
• Health services when you need them – by axing Labor’s Patients’ Tax, a tax which doctors have said will end bulk billing and make GP visits more expensive
• Respect for your money – by stopping Labor’s expensive budget blowouts which are pushing up costs for families
• A place to call home – by abolishing stamp duty on new builds for first home buyers
• A government that works for you – to address challenges for the long term, not band-aid solutions at election time

 

*Between sending out the survey to the parties and receiving their responses, funding has been approved for the training centre in Townsville.