The Australian Cabinet and Furniture Association is celebrating 75 Years of serving the industry. As a specialised association, we are proud of what we have achieved. Being an Industry-Specific Association delivering personalised service for such a significant amount of time is a significant milestone and is a testament to the hard work of ACFA Board Members, Staff and Members.
Fred White, President of ACFA, spoke of the significance of 75 Years. He said, “To see how far we have come as an association, we are very proud of what we have achieved. Our membership numbers have continued to grow and reflect our true national approach. The issues of our industry have changed, but ACFA has always been there advocating for what is best.”
ACFA is excited by the future, and exploring more ways to support our industry, with short courses and growing their business resources. ACFA will look to mark this celebration during the 2023 Industry Awards in September. Click here for more information on our 2023 Awards.
WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED OVER THE YEARS!
When ACFA looks back at 75 Years as an association, it is difficult to summarise everything we have achieved. Here are just some of the key achievements:
When first established on the 3rd of June 1948, the NSW Furniture Guide (as it was then known), was incorporated as part of the launch of the Furniture Industry Association of Australia (FIAA). Throughout the decades that followed, the association grew in recognition for advocating on behalf of the industry.
In some of FIAA’s early years, the association was also involved in the running of the Australian Furniture Fair and drafted the Furnishing Trades Award with the Industry Committee. As FIAA grew, it focused on lobbying for the increase to the threshold & exemptions for our industry regarding Home Warranty Insurance (NSW) and Initiated the Worker Compensation Premium Discount Scheme.
WorkCover NSW (now Safework NSW) engaged with FIAA to run a Safety Coach program in 2013 with the aim to provide free one-on-one advice on better ways to manage risks and how best to implement sustainable safety practices. Our efforts in this program saw FIAA recognised as a finalist in the 2014 WorkCover NSW Safety Leadership Awards.
In 2017, FIAA launched our Industry Awards, celebrating and recognising the hard work and skills within our industry. The annual awards night was created as a way to showcase the high-quality work our industry achieves and come together to celebrate the people excelling in our industry.
Through funding granted by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training, FIAA across both 2018 and 2019, successfully ran a mentoring program for 1st and 2nd Year Apprentices. Titled Industry Specialist Mentoring for Australian Apprentices (ISMAA), this mentoring saw an increase in apprentices completing their training and helped them get a solid foundation towards a long-term career in our industry.
A recent achievement the ACFA Team looks back upon is their COVID Response across 2020 and 2021. ACFA spent countless hours confirming details of restrictions and making enquiries with the government for each state. ACFA provided the support businesses needed to continue to operate in the correct manner. A record number of phone calls with the Workplace Advice Team and email communications sent highlights the dedication the association has to the industry.
Dean Brakell, CEO of ACFA, marked the occasion by reflecting on the work undertaken to represent and advocate for the industry. “Over the years ACFA has been privileged to be recognised at higher levels of Government with our work with SafeWork, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and the Home Builders Insurance. Our sector of manufacturing in Australia needed an association that represented the unique aspects of our industry, and that is what ACFA has done.”
Other key milestones achieved include 26 Years as a Registered Training Organisation, providing Workplace-Based Training for the next generation of our industry. ACFA has grown to become the largest private RTO (RTO: 90432) for Cabinet Making, KBLR and RPL Qualifications.
