For over a century, the ETU has been campaigning for a National Electrical Licence. Now, the ETU is at the negotiation table, working alongside regulators, industry bodies and other union representatives to work on a high-quality national licence.
The ETU knows that a National Licence should not exist just for the sake of it. It needs to be a licence that reflects the highest standards for electrical workers. A licence that reflects that sparkies in Australia work under some of the highest electrical standards and perform some of the highest quality electrical work in the world.
In 2025, state and territory treasurers agreed to progress a new national electrical licence, marking a significant step forward in the ETU’s longstanding campaign. In the last month the ETU has been brought on board to a strategy group for occupational licensing across the board, and a working group on national licensing, working out what elements should be included in a model that will be sent out to treasurers in December.
The meetings set out the requirements for what qualifications the licence includes, what kind of scope of work it might include, the additional skill checks that might be required, like the Licensed Electrician’s Assessment in Victoria, and importantly, implementation decisions such as grandfathering existing licences.
If the proposal from the working group is approved by Treasurers in December, then the ETU will spend the first half of next year working to design a more detailed implementation plan.
Previous attempts to introduce national licensing, including in 2008, stalled over disagreements about regulatory oversight and the scope of electrical work. The ETU is advocating for a model that maintains strong state-based regulatory oversight while ensuring electricians’ registrations are recognised nationally. Unlike existing Automatic Mutual Recognition systems, which raise concerns about inconsistent safety and training requirements between jurisdictions, a properly designed national licence would establish a consistent framework without weakening existing protections.
The ETU will continue fighting for a national licensing system that makes it easier for qualified electricians to work across state borders, without compromising the safety, skills and standards our industry depends on.