Learn About Several Major Changes to Building in Victoria - Regulation, Insurance & SPASA Contracts All Set to Change

• Hear from the VBA on the many Regulation changes that will affect your business, as well as the highly controversial Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS), that includes proposed Retrospective 4-sided Barrier Legislation for all pre-2010 Pools & Spas. For an update on SPASA advocacy on the RIS see our "Push for Pool & Spa Barrier Inspections to be Made Mandatory in the State of Victoria" page.
  
  The VBA will also update members on latest legislation covering: indictable offences for builders, new liabilities for people in partnerships that do building work and registration of companies as building practitioners. If you have a question for the VBA, here's your opportunity.

• Hear about new government-mandated SPASA Construction Contract changes from SPASA Victoria lawyer Jeremy Johnson
  
  
• Changes are also to be announced by AB Philips regarding Victorian Domestic Building Insurance, effective 1 July 2017

• And finally, members have the opportunity to vote on the as circulated proposed changes to the association Constitution and Policy & Procedures manual.

Each year, SPASA Victoria showcases excellence in the swimming pool & spa industry at our annual Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner - this year to be held at the MCG. Tickets are selling super fast for this iconic new venue. We high recommend that you book now to avoid disappointment, we're guaranteed to sell out.

The MCG is more than simply one of the world's great sporting arenas. For over 150 years it has been Melbourne's heartbeat. Here, giants have lived up to a nation's hopes. Heroes have walked the corridors. And moments of suspense have been watched by millions around the country, and the world. To step inside the MCG is to be energised by a spirit of greatness.

The MCG's Olympic Room boasts magnificent views towards Yarra Park and the city on one side, and the hallowed turf on the other. The room features a contemporary design of wood & stone with modern furniture. MCG caterer EPICURE delivers fresh and creative food with exceptional service to ensure your dining experience is second to none. EPICURE’s food philosophy resonates with lovers of the simple things in life - good food, good wine, and great company.

This year, a complimentary tour of the National Sports Museum at the MCG is available prior to dinner, courtesy of Protector Aluminium.

Nowhere in the world can you find a museum that celebrates a nation's rich sporting history like the National Sports Museum. Across a multitude of sports and celebrating Australian sporting glory, the museum features memorabilia from some of the country’s biggest heroes and highlights moments that have shaped the traditions of Australian sport. The museum also boasts other displays of basketball, boxing, netball, soccer, cycling, tennis, golf, Paralympic Games, rugby union, and rugby league. Self-guided tours 5.30pm – 6.30pm (RSVPs essential). Enter via Gate 3 – Main Gate Entry (between Light Towers 1 & 2)

Join us for a night to remember, with entertainment by Rusty Bertha and DJ Conan from the Melbourne Entertainment Company. Got a question ? Call Rose on 9501 2040.

Watch the Epicure review HERE

An unprecedented class action is being levelled against Victoria's building regulator for failing to protect dozens of home owners from shoddy and dangerous building work.

Victims of a disastrous townhouse development in Diamond Creek in Melbourne's outer suburbs claim they suffered financial losses and physical and psychiatric injuries as a result of the inaction of the Victorian Building Authority.

It is believed the case could spark a rush of legal action from other Victorians who feel abandoned by the VBA, which has been slammed for being asleep at the wheel while defects plague the industry.

Many of Victoria's new residential buildings are riddled with faults, and experts say new laws may have to be introduced to manage mass demolitions of apartments. This month a statement of claim was lodged in the Victorian Supreme Court by Melbourne solicitor Sarah Hinchliffe, who is representing 36 home owners.

 The case centres on a planning saga involving dozens of townhouses in the Rangeview Estate in Melbourne's north-east, where total costs of defects have been estimated at more than $7.6 million. The builder, David Brayer, was stripped of his registration for three years.

Read this article in full from The Age HERE

SPASA Vice President & MD of Cooke Industries, Cliff Cooke, along with Hayward Pool Products Australia MD Tony Sharpe together recently completed the Kokoda Trek back to back to mark the 75^th Anniversary of the Kokoda Trail Campaign.

From April 11 to April 24, 2017 they walked the 192km there-and-back journey to raise money for Not For Profit Charity Soldier On Australia, helping our contemporary ex-service men and women who are physically and psychologically affected by their service.

The promotion was a great success and last week Hayward presented the $21,940 that was raised from the Kokoda Promotion to Not-For-Profit Charity Soldier On Australia.

 Tony and Cliff would like to thank everyone who helped contribute to this wonderful charity.

The Department of Energy regulation will require all pumps past a certain horsepower rating to meet an efficiency threshold.

It looks as if, effective in 2021, variable-speed pumps will become mandatory for powering a pool or spa's filtration system and other applications.

After working with manufacturers, utility companies and energy-efficiency advocates, the U.S. Department of Energy has finalized a federal regulation setting forth minimum efficiency standards that a pool pump must meet to enter commerce in the United States.

 Called “Energy Conservation Standards for Dedicated-Purpose Pool Pumps,” this is the second such regulation applying to the pool/spa industry – the other being efficiency standards for heaters.

Read this article in full from Pool & Spa News HERE

The different levels of government – state, federal and to an extent local – are blaming each other for the housing crisis.

Some blame banks and overseas investors, while others blame it on lack of new housing stock. Then all the governments gang up and say, “yes we will release 3,000 new lots in the middle of nowhere, but can’t do so till we get infrastructure funding in place, and we need an environmental assessment, fauna/flora audit..."

The “why we can’t do it now” list grows so long that no new housing lots will issue till the next two governments get elected.

 It may sounds cynical, but this same story happens every time we have a housing boom with record prices and profits - which all ends in the government pockets via taxes.

Read this article in full HERE

Have you received an email or a call out of the blue from someone asking for money or sensitive information? The ACCC is warning small businesses to be vigilant and protect themselves from scams.

In 2016, businesses reported losing $3.8 million to scammers, with small businesses accounting for over half of the money lost.

Our 2016 Targeting Scams report reveals the top three scams businesses need to be aware of:

• Ransomware – these scams trick you into downloading a virus that infects your computer and prevents you from accessing the system until payment is made to ‘unlock’ it. A recent example is the WannaCry virus
• Business email compromise scams – involves a scammer obtaining access to your business’ email address and contacting your customers requesting payment into the scammer’s account. The scammer may even email your accounts department and try to redirect payments into their account
• Investment scams – these scams are promoted as business opportunities (for example sports investment or stock broker scams, superannuation schemes or managed funds) and promise inflated returns

As most scammers use email, some simple steps you can put in place to protect yourself include:

• Always scrutinise new requests for any payment and have a clearly defined process for verifying and paying accounts and invoices
• Regularly back-up your computer’s data on a separate hard drive so this can be easily re-installed if your computer is infected by malware or ransomware
• Ensure your computer has a firewall and up-to-date anti-virus and anti-spyware software

See our Media Release if you would like to know more. Businesses can learn more about scams, including how to avoid them, by checking out our Business Scams Guide, visiting the Scamwatch website, signing up to Scamwatch radar alerts, and following Scamwatch on Twitter.

Small Business team Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

As part of SPASA Victoria's Industry Learning Program, on Wednesday 17th May members heard from HR Central specialist Sophie McDonald about the factors you should take into account when deciding whether your worker is an employee or an independent contractor. 

There are a number of differences between employees and independent contractors. It is important to get it right when hiring a worker.

Sophie gave the audience some sample cases and discussed whether the worker in each case was an employee or an independent contractor.

The different rights and obligations in relation to employees and independent contractors were discussed, as well as ways to engage them, including agreements and reporting obligations.

SPASA Victoria Member Dick Hearn found this session invaluable. "In my business, I hire both contractors and employees, and did not realise the financial consequences of not understanding the difference between the two. Not understanding the differences between an employee and contractor could have cost me a lot of money down the track. I personally got a lot out of this session and found it informative and very worthwhile. Now, knowing the difference will save me and my business money."

All SPASA Members are encouraged to attend these free sessions through our Industry Learning Program.

HR Central's presentation slides 'Contractor vs Employee' are available HERE

TV advertising for hot tub dealers can look similar. It's the spokesman standing in a showroom with a cheesy smile. It's the assortment of photos with splashy bursts: "Just $5,999!" "Financing available!" "On sale now!"

Marq Schramm, marketing manager at Spa Inspectors in Houston, Texas, sees a problem with that approach.

"That doesn't really stick in your head," he says. "We wanted to do something that was story based and just made hot tubs look fun."

Schramm took matters into his own hands by creating a series of short videos, each telling a different, yet funny story of the hot tub life. There's the story of the wife on her birthday, fuming at the sight of a new car in the driveway because she "can't sip champagne and soak in an SUV." Or there's the hot tub delivery guys who, while stopped at an intersection, encounter a cute girl in the car next to them. (She only has eyes for the hot tub on the truck, of course.)

 So far, all three videos have at least 19,000 views, while the top-performing video (more on that one below) clocks in at nearly 80,000 views. Here, Schramm explains how these viral videos were made and how they helped promote his company's new retail division, I Heart Hot Tubs.

Read the full article from Aqua Magazine HERE

New figures point to Australia’s home building boom starting to taper off at the end of this year but new housing supply and recent regulatory measures should keep a lid on prices, economists say.

The number of new home approvals slumped 13.4 per cent to 16,484 in March, widely missing market forecasts of a 4.5 per cent fall, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The fall was broad-based, with private sector house approvals down 4.3 per cent in the month and the "other dwelling" category, which includes apartment blocks and townhouses, plummeting 22.5 per cent.

Citi economists said high-rise apartment approvals nose-dived 50 per cent in March and the fall in detached house approvals indicated a housing sector slowdown will now hit sooner than expected.

Read the article in full from Sourcable HERE

Waterway Plastics has recalled a drain cover used on certain portable spas.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of approximately 26,000 Designer Pro Series Suction Covers installed in certain hot tub models produced by Catalina Spas, Four Winds Spas, Dimension One Spas and Sunrise Spas from June 2011 to June 2013.

The hot tubs were sold nationwide and ranged in price from $3,500 to $16,000, according to CPSC.

The black and silver, round-shaped drains are stamped with the number 640-52XX S on the outside edge of the plastic. The recall number is 15-014.

Read the article in full HERE

A 65-year-old Alabama man died, while his son and wife sustained injuries from attempting a rescue.

Pool electrocution has taken another life. 65-year old Carl McGrady was starting to clean his pool in Florence, Alabama on May 19, when he entered the electrified water. Seeing his father in distress - and not realizing the water was electrified - McGrady’s son Lucas jumped in to help and became seriously injured.

Pam McGrady – Carl’s wife and Lucas’ mother – was injured, too, as she tried to help her son pull the patriarch from the water, according to local television station WHNT.

The cause of the incident is under investigation. First responders told WHNT that the son began to feel electrical shock as he was trying to get his father to the pool deck. Calls to the Florence Police Department have not been returned at press time.

See the article online HERE

The SPASA Victoria Board warmly welcomes the following recent members to the Association: 

Pave World Bricks and Pavers

Director: Wade Ward

Membership Category: Associate

Website: www.paveworld.com.au

Established in 1986, Pave World are suppliers of quality bricks, pavers, natural stone and landscaping materials.

The Acoustic Box

Contact: Luke Humphries

Membership Category: Associate

Website: www.acousticbox.com.au

The Acoustic Box manufacture galvanised metal soundproof boxes to house swimming pool filters.

 Gardens at Night

Contact: Asher Newton (yes, ex-SPASA Ash!)

Membership Category: Associate

Website: www.gan.com.au

Gardens at Night are high end exterior and landscape lighting professionals with 20 years experience in the design and installation of residential and light commercial projects with a focus on energy efficient systems.

Conquest Pools Mornington Peninsula

Directors: Nigel Cox and Craig McManamny

Membership Category: Pool Builder

Website: www.conquestpools.com.au

Nigel and Craig have been installing fibreglass pools since 2014 in the south and east suburbs of Melbourne as well as Gippsland and the Mornington Pensinsula.

Coolabah Building and Landscape Construction

Directors: David Jarman and Lewis Moran

Membership Category: Pool Builder

Website: www.coolabahlandscapes.com.au

Established in 2007 as landscape, gardening and building material suppliers, Coolabah broadened to landscape construction, concrete pool building and design services following VBA registration in 2014.

ABGAL Liners and Covers

Directors: Garry Long and Alan Long

Membership Category: Supplier / Manufacturer

Website:  www.abgal.com.au

ABGAL Liners and Covers in Crestmead Queensland, have been producing high quality above ground and inground pool liners since 1976. Their product range also includes solar blankets, water tank liners, pond liners and shade sails.

Boutique Tiles

Director: Chino Bhandari

Membership Category: Associate

Website: www.boutiquetiles.com.au

Chino and Boutique Tiles are suppliers of a wide range of indoor tiles, pool copers, natural pavers, porcelain tiles, carpet and laminate as well as sealants and cleaning products.

Urban Swimming Pools

Director: Mark Tyzzer

Membership Category: Pool Builder

Website: www.urbanswimmingpools.com.au

Mark has been involved in concrete pool construction for many years and established Urban Swimming Pools in 2015 following VBA registration.

Riverina Pools

Contact: Murray Piesse

Membership Category: Pool Builder and Supplier / Manufacturer

Website: www.riverinapools.com.au

The Piesse family, in Western Australia, have been involved in fibreglass boat construction for decades.  Broadening the business, Riverina Pools was established in 2000 construction and supply of quality fibreglass pool shells has ensued ever since.  Murray Piesse’s VBA registration was achieved in 2016.

Jeliha Pool Solutions

Director: Dan Maher

Membership Category: Supplier / Manufacturer

Website: www.jelihapoolsolutions.com.au

Dan has been involved in the swimming pool and spa industry for many years, commencing as a pool technician and ultimately gravitiating to State Manager for Pool Controls.  In 2016 Jeliha Pool Solutions commenced and specializes in Chemigem dosing systems, salt and mineral chlorination, Ozone/UV systems and off grid filtration supplying pool builders, shops, commercial swim centres and consumers.

C.O.S Design

Director: Steve Taylor

Membership Category: Professional

Website: www.cosdesign.com.au

Steve established COS Design in 2000 which has evolved into a highly regarded and much awarded design practice.   They specialize in a professional design process from consultation to concept plans through to part or full working drawings, 3D modelling, tender management and contract administation services.

Martin Poolcare

Director: Jon Martin

Membership Category: Pool Service

Website: www.martinpoolcare.com.au

Owned and run by Jon Martin, Martin Poolcare services and maintains Compass Pools throughout South Gippsland.  Jon has over 20 years experience with Compass Pools.

VSI Pty Ltd

Contact: David Fenton

Membership Category: Associate

Telephone: 0409 644 054

Since 1991 in Queensland, VSI have been supplying tiles to the building industry through retail flooring outlet “Tile Wizard”.  David Fenton and Russell Clark, both ex Coulson Tiles, were involved in the advent of mosaic tiles for pools and spas back in 1994.  VSI are suppliers of Cotto tiles into Victoria bringing with them their reputation of great customer and after sales service. 

Member Benefits - Available to all Members in 2017

• AB Phillips - SPASA’s Risk Management, Insurance & Financial Services Provider
• Jeremy Johnson & Associates - Free Expert Legal Advice
• Expert OHS Advice - Jim Pashalidis, Australian OHS
• Career Dressing – Preferred Workwear & Corporate Clothing Supplier
• HR Central – Your People Management Professionals
• Online White Card Training with Aveling
• Houzz and SPASA – Free Profile-Building Website

See the full details of your Member Benefits here

Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner Bookings Close – Friday 28 June

SPASA Industry Learning - OH&S Materials Made Easy - Thursday 8 June

SPASA Industry Learning - Marketing With No Marketing Budget - Tuesday 13 June

Board Meeting – Wednesday 14 June

Awards of Excellence Entries Viewing – Monday 26 June

SPASA Industry Learning - Practical Time Management Tips - Tuesday 25 July

Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner – Saturday 29 July

Board Meeting – Wednesday 12 July

SPASA Industry Learning - Strategic Financial Planning for Your Business - Wednesday 2 August

SPASA 2018 Advertising Offer Launch – Monday 7 August

SPASA Industry Training - Pool Construction Essentials - Tuesday 8 August

Board Meeting – Wednesday 9 August

SPASA Industry Training - Contract Training – Wednesday 9 August

SPASA Industry Training - Hydraulics - Thursday 10 & Friday 11 August

Spa & Pool Show at MCEC (Winter Show) – Saturday 12 & Sunday 13 August

SPASA Industry Learning - OH&S Materials Made Easy - Thursday 7 September

Board Meeting – Wednesday 13 September

SPASA Board Nominations – Wednesday 13 September - Friday 29 September

SPASA Industry Training - Basic Chemistry - Monday 18 September

SPASA Industry Training - Advanced Chemistry - Wednesday 20 & Thursday 21 September

SPASA Board Ballot – Friday 6 October - Friday 3 November

Board Meeting – Wednesday 11 October

SPASA 2018 Advertising Offer Close – Friday 27 October

2017 AGM – Wednesday 8 November

Board Meeting – Wednesday 8 November

SPASA Board Nominations - Monday 13th November

Board Meeting – Wednesday 13 December

2018

Pool & Spa Show at MCEC (Summer Show) – Friday 2 - Sunday 4 February

Spa & Pool Show at MCEC (Winter Show) – Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 August