Opportunity to comment on Victorian pool inspection regulation

Industry members and stakeholders have until September 6 to comment on the impending Victorian pool and spa inspection regime.

From December this year, councils in Victoria will register all backyard pools and spas in their local government areas, with property owners being required to submit a current certificate of compliance for their pool or spa safety barrier.

Local councils will take charge of this mandatory registration scheme from December, with all pool owners required to contact their council by April 14 next year and pay a $37 registration fee. Inspection certificates for all pools built before 1994 must be lodged by 30 October 2020. For pools built between 1994 and 2010, owners will have until 30 April 2021, with all pools built after 2010 requiring to be certified by 29 October 2021.

Councils will charge pool and spa owners a maximum of $20 to lodge their inspection compliance certificates, a process they will be required to undertake once every three years. Households will have 20 days to bring their pools into compliance if an inspector identifies any safety concerns.

Association submissions

Both SPASA Victoria and SPASA Australia are making submissions.

Chris Samartzis, CEO of SPASA Victoria says that, in consultation with various stakeholders, they welcome the RIS delivered by the DELWP.

“Councils will be in charge of collecting data provided by a newly created Building Inspector (Pool Safety) with the aim to ensure that barriers around pools and spas are compliant to Victorian regulations and maintained to the appropriate standards,” Samartzis says.

“After many years of leading and contributing to the development of new legislation, we have begun to prepare a submission to government on behalf of the swimming pool and spa industry in Victoria. Key areas around mandatory barrier inspections, training of a new class of inspector, spas and cost to community will make up a significant component of our submission,” he says.

“The RIS is a comprehensive document aimed at reducing incidents in and around pools and spas. We believe the new regulations are a positive step towards ensuring families have a safe and fun experience while utilising their pools and spas.”

SPASA Australia COO Spiros Dassakis is also preparing a submission.

“We’ve met with the VBA and the DELWP in regards to the regulatory impact statement to ensure we can provide them with valuable input on the other inspection regimes around the country,” he says.

“We are also stressing the importance of nationally accredited training to ensure consistency of inspections is achieved. SPASA Australia holds some significant concerns and will be responding accordingly.”

Have your say on the amendments

Industry members can have input on these new measures in the Building Amendment (Swimming Pool and Spa) Regulations 2019 by making a submission by September 6 2019.

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) has prepared draft Regulations and a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) that examines the costs and benefits of the proposed Regulations and alternative options that were considered. The RIS and draft Regulations have been released for public consultation so that the Victorian community and relevant stakeholders can provide input on the proposed regulatory changes.

How to make a submission

The public consultation period is an opportunity for anyone interested to have their say on the proposed Regulations before they are finalised.

• Online Option – Note: Online questions are not as wide-ranging as written option

• Written Option – Questions listed within Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS)

Consultation closes at 5pm on Friday 6 September 2019