About the Organisation

Introduction

The GTRC was established in 1996 as a forum for Gas Technical and Safety Regulators across Australia to share ideas and work together to improve gas safety, measurement and quality. New Zealand joined the Committee shortly after its inception. Technical and Safety Regulators may join the Committee on a voluntary basis and there are provisions for associate members to join too.

Purpose

The purpose of the GTRC is to provide benefits to Australian and New Zealand Governments, industry and the public by:

  • Promoting safety in all aspects of gas transportation, storage and use.
  • Developing and maintaining a consistent regulatory environment and a consistent and common approach between jurisdictions to gas technical and safety activities.
  • Benchmarking to identify best practices.
  • Sharing information for the purpose of achieving effective and efficient safety and technical regulatory practice covering the gas industry.
  • Providing a forum and discussion group to facilitate reform and harmonisation by implementing consistent approaches and providing a platform for direct peer to peer liaison.

Terms of Reference

The terms of reference are established to help identify the high level principles underpinning safety and technical policy development. They are:

  1. To strive for national consistency through:
    Harmonisation of legislative intent/principles;
    Consistent implementation of GTRC derived and debated policies;
    Development of consistent and improved national Mutual Recognition Agreements; and
    Sharing of operational and strategic knowledge.
  2. To strengthen internal and external relationships at a national level through:
    Increased knowledge sharing between members;
    More regular consultation in operational and strategic issues;
    Providing GTRC agreed responses to issues referred to the GTRC;
    More active presence in industry through increased engagement with external stakeholders;
    Increased awareness of national issues; and
    Increased information dissemination to external stakeholders.
    Represent GTRC's agreed policies to issues referred to the Committee at the national level (e.g. MCE, COAG, ANZRA) for the purpose of securing support from Governments, industry and the public;
    Participate actively in national technical committees of organisations such as Standards Australia and Standards New Zealand to ensure that the requirements/outcomes of national technical standards satisfy regulatory directions and requirements;
    Consult with relevant industry and certification bodies such as the Gas Associations, Pipeline Associations, LPG Associations and Gas Appliance and Supplier Associations of Australia and New Zealand on regulatory issues of a technical and safety nature.
  3. To establish a clear organizational direction through:
    Developing long and short-term plans;
    Establishing a framework of good governance;

    4. Establishing clear and achievable objectives; and
    Increasing awareness of national and international environments.

Membership

Membership is sought and maintained from the organisations listed below.

Full membership of GTRC is open to all Gas Regulatory Authorities in Australia and New Zealand responsible for gas safety or supply. There is no fee for membership. A list of current Full Members is as follows:

  1. The State of Queensland represented by Resources Safety and Health Queensland;
  2. The State of New South Wales represented by Department of Fair Trading (Appliances, licensing and installations) and NSW Department of Water and Energy (gas networks and transmission pipelines)
  3. The Australian Capital Territory represented by the Planning and Land Authority; ACT
  4. The State of Victoria represented by Energy Safe Victoria;
  5. The State of Tasmania represented by Gas Standards and Safety, Building Standards and Occupational Licensing, Tasmania;
  6. The Northern Territory represented by NT Worksafe, Department of Justice;
  7. The State of South Australia represented by the Office of the Technical Regulator,
  8. The State of Western Australia represented by Building and Energy Division - Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety Western Australia;
  9. New Zealand represented by Energy Safety Service, New Zealand;

Associate membership of GTRC is open to all Regulatory Authorities whose responsibility is ancillary to the use of gas or gas appliances in Australia and New Zealand.