Aussie Soapers - NICNAS Registration

[kaseencook]

I think for me this news means that I will not sell soap anymore as I can't afford the rego (or fine) and don't sell much soap anyway, so I think I will just have to reserve soap making for fun and product testing...

It's all just so disappointing. In economic times like these the government should be trying to encourage people to start small business, soaping being one that is accessible to many people, but fees of this magnitude just makes more oppertunites out of reach for many poor who want to help them selves. People with no money who can't get a job because their skills are not in demand (like some uni grads) are trapped in limbo because every option out costs more money then they have (small business, more training, ect.), and then they get stuck on the dole for years trying to get out and get a career or job, hoping for that lucky break. If the gov wants to get people off the dole they should give them more chances to start their own oppertunites, instead of weeding out the poor by laying down huge fees. I could go on and on, but I guess this is something I should be saying to the local member.

I will also be starting up a soapers hub (sud central) in the near future and will have a section devoted to good causes and calls to action, I think a petition to this rego fee will be on the list!

Cheers for the info guys, at least now I won't get a fine for something I had no idea existed

 

[ChrissyB]

You know, not in a million years would I dob in someone for something like that. I agree, it's just un-Australian.
I just had a funny thought, can you imagine, if you got caught without the rego and got fined the 13 thou, and couldn't pay it and they sent you to gaol, and you were in there next to druggies and murderers, and some hard face says to you "Hey what are you in for" and you turn around and say "um, I sold some soap". Whoa that's harsh!! LOL
Seriously, I think it's a stupid rule. I will pay it if and when I decide to sell my soap, but I still think it's stupid. But I'll just follow the rules like everyone else and do what I'm told. In the meantime, I hope they change it. I wonder how long that rule and registration requirement has been in effect?

 

[kaseencook]

I started up a petition, what do you think? Have I included all the points? I can still change it if you want to changes.

http://www.gopetition.com/online/27636.html

 

[Manda]

Good on you Kaseen for doing something proactive about this. I've signed it and I hope it gets loads more signatures on it.

Do you know how it works from here? How/when will it be put to the Govt?

 

[kaseencook]

I'm not really sure

I still have to look into that bit.... It's got to count for something though! I think I will probably send it to several places, local members, ministers, the NICNAS group....

 

[Aponi]

N.I.C.N.A.S. Registration

Hi Everyone,

Before I get started on this subject I'd like to make sure everyone understands that although I use the CP method, I do believe in all the methods of soapmaking - be it with a pre-made soap base or starting from scratch. MP soapers make the most beautiful of soaps and I'm certain just by looking at them they are a craft unto themselves and sometimes I envy just how clever you guys are and I do truly mean every word I've said. For prople who want to sell soap but don't want to "play" around with lye, again nothing wrong with that at all, so here are my concerns and I'd so respect and appreciate everyone's comments to what I'm about to say so remember I'm not trying to put any craft down.

N.I.C.N.A.S. - I agree with everyone to the point that here in Australia, N.I.C.N.A.S. don't make themselves known and by that I mean known to "all" soapmakers who use sodium hydroxide or not, so to me all I can too think of is that the registration is just a money revenue source for which I'd dearly like to know just where the money goes? And something I'm totally against is that N.I.C.N.A.S. did actually tell me that they rely on "dobbers" to find soapermakers who aren't registered - they (N.I.C.N.A.S.) said their funds were limited and could not afford inspectors to source out unregistered soapmakers - if this has changed, for those of us who are registered why haven't we been advised???

I know of so many people who sell goats milk soap (I only make goats milk soaps), say or insinuate they make the soaps themselves, mislead customers into buying their soap when in fact I know darn well they don't make the soaps themselves - you then get a percentage of their customers not wanting to try goatmilk soap again because they had a bad experience with the soap.

How can any soapmaker get a "pure white" - and believe me I'm talking about "angel wings white" - totally natural goatmilk soap with no colour added, and I include titiam dioxide as a "colour" and such a very hard bar of soap - here again I'm talking "hard" as in not being able to cut the soap bars with a sharp kitchen knife or a single hand held soap cutter without bits breaking off from the sides. When I emailed one online soap maker, I received an email back saying "they don't actually make their own soap" (yet reading their online shop makes you think they do), this "soapmaker" also said they have totall control over what goes into their soaps, again reading one of the pages in their online shop I found it to be word for word exactly the same as another soapmaker "who makes their own soap.........................

Why can't people be honest, there's a market for all types of soaps (OMG!!! dare I say it ?) - yep!!! even cheap supermarket soaps that have so much formaldehyde in them it's starting to put undertakers out of business - anyway........................this is what I "thought" a government body like N.I.C.N.A.S. would be able to control and why I registered with them in the first place but they are to me "just another Government agency with laws unto themselves!!!!

If you're proud of your craft why not be honest about it????

 

[melstan775]

Why is M&P soapmaking assumed to be a "borrowed" craft? One, you CAN make your own soapbase, in your crockpot. It's a hot process soap that is given sugar alcohols to make it remeltable and glycerin to keep it moist. Second, who cares if someone IS buying a soapbase from a supplier?

The argument that soapbasing isn't really soapmaking is the same as saying coloring a soap isn't coloring because you used an oxide instead of pounding out your own spices, or that you didn't really fragerence a soap because you didn't distill your own EO's. It's a moot point because soapbase is a supply, and frankly, why bother to make your own when you can buy it already made, with all your other supplies?

 

[Aponi]

Melstan775 I do totally agree with you - as I said I only use the CP method and am not able to work the MP magic using this method - anyone who defames any craft does not understand the research and time given to that craft.

I'm hoping you didn't interpret from what I wrote, that I'm saying MP isn't a soapmaking craft OR that buying your own soap base isn't soapmaking - all the methods of soapmaking IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE a craft and the crafters of these methods are all soapmakers - what I would like to see is all forms of soapmaking being made visable - it's certinally one way of showing your craft - I'd love to see here in Australia a soapmaking craft show - all forms of soapmaking for everyone to see in one place.

If I were starting out soapmaking just now I'd be buying a pre made soap base and making soap that way, so whoever says MP or buying a pre made soap base with the crafter applying their own skills to that "isn't soap making" well!!! those people just don't know what their talking about!!!! And I'd love for anyone to say something like that face to face!!!

Australia has N.I.C.N.A.S. and we aren't going to get rid of N.I.C.N.A.S. because it's a government revenue source but N.I.C.N.A.S. needs to sharpen their skills - ha!! perhaps they can learn from the very people their taking registrations from - us soapmakers??

 

[SwiftRuby]

I know this thread is several years old but it came up in a google search when I was looking at the Govt requirements for selling soap in Australia. Anyway, I have looked at the NICNAS website and was pleased to find that there have been changes to NICNAS Registration Structure 2013-14. These changes were made as people were paying annual fees that were disproportionately higher than their relative income. From what I can work out the average soap maker will now pay about $130/year instead of nearly $400.

These changes may have come about due to people like those in this thread that have started petitions and lobbied their local MP's

 

[karenbeth]

Thanks for that information SwiftRuby. Yes it does look like a reduced fee for a threshhold under 100,000 so thanks to all people who have lobbied for this.

 

[Aponi]

This is good news - makes all efforts of typing to anyone and everyone worthwhile. Big thanks to SwiftRuby and this great forum for letting us know, and I'm sure N.I.C.N.A.S. would have taken my $400 this year but not give me a refund!!!! - being able to keep a little extra cash from what you earn is good :smile: Thank You

 

[Rosnasharn Farm]

Have read the thread with great interest and that is great about the cheaper fee....but what about Product insurance covering our soaps and moisturisers?? I cannot find a australian product insurance that covers soap...Help please is much appreciated.

 

[karenbeth]

Hi we use OAMPS for our bees and will enquire with them when I'm ready to sell soap. They are insurance brokers so that might be the way you need to go.
Karen

 

[Rosnasharn Farm]

Thanks for that....

 

[Chookie2]

One good thing since this thread began is that NICNAS has reduced the fee to $138 to cater for us smaller home businesses. It was readjusted in 2013.

Oops sorry just read back a page, missed it first time. Old news I see.

 

[Aponi]

N.I.C.N.A.S Registration

I've too just received my renewal for N.I.C.N.A.S. and it's gone down to $138.00 YEAH!!!!!

I do think there should be some qualifying "thingy" if you do have to register, even though it's [payment] gone down it's still just the Government getting money for doing nothing the easy way - N.I.C.N.A.S don't do anything for soapmakers that I'm aware of (?), so paying that money, to me, it's just a total rip off.

We do really well with our soaps we make and I don't mind paying for something we need to, but paying N.I.C.N.A.S. is like throwing money away, there are still wonder loads of soapmakers, knowing they do need to register but won't, making soap!!!!

Anyway, at least we don't have to pay as much now which is good. Perhaps the ACCC need to reconsider labelling laws now - a couple of "iffy's" there is!!!!!