Every year at this time, our thoughts vary between previous years' accomplishments and looking ahead. This
year has been an eventful, record breaking and challenging year for SPASA.
It began with a bang – the summer Pool & Spa Expo was the largest consumer show in SPASA Victoria’s history – 25% more floorspace and completely sold-out. With the launch of a new television commercial and media buying strategy, the saturation advertising via multiple media channels resulted in near record attendance. While exhibiting members were thrilled (it was quoted as “the best Show in ten years” by some exhibiting members), all members benefited from the improved event branding and the high profile of the association’s considerable advertising spend.
With
SPASA’s new Notting Hill premises now feeling like home, the focus over the
quieter months switched to conducting other traditional member activities – the
annual golf day, our CPD-accredited industry training, Country Chapter and member sector
meetings, as well as playing host to important industry stakeholder meetings
including the national Demand Response Enabling Device Forum.
Over
the winter months Pool Builder Members signed up in droves to use SPASA online
contract, and our monthly Member Bulletins transitioned to the new e-newsletter
format. We hope you are enjoying receiving a monthly digest of the most
relevant and important industry information.
This year’s Awards of Excellence were again an unrivalled success with a record number of members participating. Held for the second consecutive year at the prestigious NGV venue, the largest attendance to date celebrated the entire industry. The event was superbly supported by industry with record levels of sponsorship. As with everything we do, we always strive for improvement and, after listening to member feedback following the 2013 event, the venue and format for next year’s Awards will experience some exciting changes - stay tuned!
Our
membership has continued to grow, hitting 300 for the first time in the
association's history. Growth has been the highest in areas integral, but
peripheral, to our industry— private building surveyors, engineers, landscape designers
and pool fencing contractors. The new member branding is being recognised by
consumers, backed by 'Use A SPASA Member' advertisements which are now running
in industry consumer publications.
SPASA
Victoria has continued to receive positive praise from the State Government,
our membership collectively received a glowing Ministerial endorsement from
Louise Asher on the industry’s resilience through recent hard times. Similarly,
Planning Minister Matthew Guy equates using a SPASA member with engaging an
expert who will steer the consumer in the right direction.
We continued to promote the best interests of our members and the wider industry via representations to the Victorian Building Authority, CPSISC, Standards Australia and the APVMA. SPASA Victoria also continued to successfully collaborate with our fellow SPASA Australia members (SPASA QLD, WA & SA), achieving improved and transparent governance allowing the one true national industry peak body to focus on issues of national significance. The sharing of goodwill amongst SPASA Australia ensures there is now consistent association and member branding, with a shared http://www.spasa.com.au website URL set to be a powerful future landing page for consumers looking for a SPASA member.
2014 Projection
The message of swimming pool and spa safety will again be at the fore during the coming year. The imminent release of coronial findings into the drowning of three Victorian toddlers will precipitate further changes to safety barrier legislation. SPASA Victoria, together with other stakeholders on the Backyard Pool and Spa Safety Committee, previously formed key recommendations that have now started to reach legislative stage.
The first of which - tighter labelling restrictions on non-constructed product - has just come into effect via a new standard, while a register of all Victorian pools and spas and ongoing mandatory safety barrier audits remain on the horizon.
Despite
the frustrating revolving door of chiefs at the Victorian Building Authority,
SPASA continues to lobby strongly for reforms within our industry - reforms
that will benefit both consumers and registered building practitioners. These
include: an increased duration for swimming pool permits, mandatory CPD for all
practitioners who build pools and a new inspection schedule for fibreglass
swimming pools which incorporates a second inspection.
In July, SPASA Australia is set to host the inaugural SPASA Australia Awards of Excellence Gala Dinner, in conjunction with the 2014 SPLASH! event. This will deliver reward and recognition for the nation’s best while also providing the ultimate bragging rights - the crowning of the first ever SPASA Australia Pool of the Year.
The Board will continue to focus on effective governance and represent members via strategic and representative portfolios to ensure the needs of members are met. Heading into 2014, SPASA Victoria remains positioned to effectively represent our industry and be the first “port of call” for all stakeholders.
We are pleased to report that the broadened member base and continued success of well supported member events has allowed the association to keep membership fees on hold for the fifth successive year.
The SPASA office looks forward to continuing the timely delivery of updates on industry matters of importance, to promoting the value of pool and spa ownership and to serving your best interests as a member.
We wish all members a wonderful festive season and prosperous New Year.