The Plumbing Products Industry Group (PPI Group) has initiated a full-scale revitalisation of its Standards Committee nomination, reporting and engagement framework, strengthening the way Australia’s plumbing product manufacturers contribute to the development of national and joint Australia/New Zealand Standards.

The new framework introduces a contemporary governance model, clearer responsibilities for industry nominees and a centralised digital platform to ensure more consistent reporting, stronger technical representation and improved visibility of issues affecting manufacturers, consumers and the broader construction supply chain. A key objective is to ensure that manufacturers of all sizes have a clearer pathway to contribute meaningfully.

PPI Group has rebuilt its standards engagement system from the ground up. This includes:

• A structured, end-to-end lifecycle for all nominees
• A unified reporting and voting system through a secure governance platform
• Stronger accountability and transparency
• More timely communication of developments affecting the industry
• Enhanced ability to identify risks early and respond as a collective industry voice

The revitalised model aims to deliver a more disciplined, coordinated and technically robust approach to shaping Standards that underpin Australia’s plumbing industry.

For several years, the pace and complexity of standards development has increased, particularly across water efficiency, product compliance, safety requirements and cross-jurisdictional alignment.

Rather than continuing to patch an outdated process, PPI Group elected to fully redesign its governance from a first principles basis.

What the new system delivers

1. Stronger national representation: PPI Group nominees will now operate under clearly defined expectations, improving the accuracy and reliability of technical input into Standards Australia committees.
2. Centralised digital governance: All reporting, voting, documentation and internal decisions are now managed through a secure platform designed for high-trust governance environments.
3. Clearer, faster communication to members: The new system allows PPI Group to provide timely updates to manufacturers, including emerging issues, risks and public comment opportunities.
4. More consistent, disciplined industry positions: A standardised voting framework ensures that PPI Group’s submissions to Standards Australia are unified, evidence-based and representative of manufacturers across Australia and New Zealand.

Improved accountability and performance monitoring: Nominee activity will be reviewed periodically to ensure high-quality participation and early identification of support needs.

“Standards shape the products used in every home and commercial building across Australia and New Zealand,” PPI Group executive director Nick Tripp says.

“Our industry deserves a system that is structured, professional and capable of keeping pace with increasingly complex regulatory demands. This revitalised framework does exactly that.”

Nick adds that says that the reform gives the association the transparency, consistency and governance discipline that the industry has needed for some time: “It strengthens our authority, improves our responsiveness and ensures our technical voice is heard clearly in national Standards discussions.”

Industry impact

Manufacturers will benefit through:

• More predictable and timely updates on Standards movements
• Fewer surprises in regulatory changes
• Better support when navigating complex drafting processes
• Stronger advocacy at key decision making tables

This renewed capability positions PPI Group as the leading, coordinated industry voice in plumbing product standards across the region.

Next Steps

PPI Group will begin onboarding nominees under the new model from January 2026, with full implementation across all committees throughout the first quarter of 2026. Media, government stakeholders and industry partners will receive periodic updates as the new system matures.

Supporting industry stability through sensible grandfathering

PPI Group continues to work closely with government and the plumbing industry to ensure that the transition to new regulatory requirements is handled responsibly and with a clear understanding of its real world impact. A key measure we are advocating for is the grandfathering of existing WaterMark certified products that were fully compliant, independently tested and legally sold prior to the regulatory change.

This is not about lowering standards. It is about recognising that thousands of high quality, safe, approved products are already held in warehouses across Australia and New Zealand. These products represent years of work and investment by the people who make, move and support them. For many manufacturers, importers and distributors, this stock underpins local employment and the livelihoods of staff and their families.

A hard cutover would force businesses into unnecessary loss, restrict their ability to keep people employed and place avoidable pressure on pricing at a time when the building sector needs stability across the board.

Sensible grandfathering upholds the integrity of the WaterMark scheme while allowing compliant existing stock to sell through in the normal course of business.

This approach supports regulatory intent, protects jobs, maintains industry capability and ensures our sector remains stable, solvent and future focused. It is a practical and responsible pathway that benefits workers, businesses, consumers and government alike.