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Examination and Callsign Fee Changes
Date :
23 /
10 /
2010
Author :
Michael Owen - VK3KI
In December 2008 the WIA announced that the cost of a WIA examination would be $67.00 including GST from 2 February 2009, except for candidates aged under 18 on the day of assessment, which remained at $35.00. The second of February 2009 was the date that the new contractual arrangements with ACMA relating to examinations came into effect. Under these contractual arrangements the WIA is obliged to comply with the Commonwealth Cost Recovery Guidelines with charges requiring Commonwealth approval.
In February 2009 the WIA announced the charges for a callsign recommendation from 2 March 2009, necessary to obtain a licence. This was also in accordance with those new contractual arrangements. The WIA is obliged to charge fees on a cost recovery basis. That charge must be approved by ACMA as being reasonably related to the costs incurred or to be incurred by the WIA in relation to the matters to which the charge relates. The contract between the WIA and ACMA required a complete review of the costs after the first year, and thereafter the provision of annual audited financial information to ACMA. This complete review has taken place, in considerable detail, and with the provision of significant additional information to answer the ACMA’s questions. The result has been some small increases, some small reductions and a new charge.
Summary
 Under 18 examinations unchanged: The charge for all examinations (Foundation, Practical Assessment taken alone, Standard and Advanced Regulations and Standard Theory and Advanced Theory) for a candidate aged under 18 on the day of assessment remains at $35.00.
Level 1 callsign recommendation unchanged: a three or four letter call sign in any state or territory where the WIA will select the next available call sign remains at $5.00.
Changes on and after 1 December 2010
All other examinations, except the Practical Assessment taken alone: increases from $67.00 to $70.00.
A Practical Assessment taken alone: drops from $67.00 to $65.00.
A replacement certificate of proficiency: drops from $14.00 to $10.00.
Recognition of Prior Learning: attracts a new application fee of $100.00.
Callsign Recommendation Level 2: a three, four and two letter call sign in any state or territory except New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, where the individual can select two preferences for a particular call sign shown as an available call sign from the website daily list drops from $20.60 to $20.00.
Callsign Recommendation Level 3: a two letter call sign in the states of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria drops from $48.85 to $48.00.
Callsign Recommendation Level 4: a special event callsign drops from an hourly rate of $67.80 to a flat fee of $25.00.
WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI said that the WIA was pleased it was able to continue to subsidise, with the approval of the Commonwealth, the cost of examinations for candidates under 18, and applications for the next available callsign, also of importance to young people. He also said that while the changes were very small, it was pleasing that there could be some reductions. It was also pleasing that the ACMA recognised the fact that the fees for examinations were low because of the work of volunteers. No part of the charges is attributable to the time of WIA Assessors, Learning Facilitators, the WIA Directors, the Secretary or the Treasurer.
The President also announced that on and after 1 December 2010 the existing arrangements will continue for Level 3 callsign recommendations, a two letter callsign in Queensland, NSW or Victoria, with applications only being accepted by mail, but instead of providing a recommendation to the first application received and opened, the recommendation will be given to an application chosen at random after seven working days from the day the callsign was first placed on the Public List. This will overcome the disadvantage suffered by those not living in a capital city and not able to use Express Post.
Michael Owen also announced that on and after 1 December 2010 WIA Assessors will be able to claim reimbursement of motor vehicle expenses at a defined rate if travelling a distance greater than 100 km from their ordinary place of residence to conduct assessments.
All money amounts shown on this release include GST. All new fees are set out in the attached PDF file.
Related Files
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