The suppliers are making several quick bucks at your expense mate - do you for one minute think the costs of your "free" beers and pizza aren't in the product price you get charged?  C'mon - they are business people too - they support the old "points" system because they got a captive audience.  For my two cents worth I pay $80 for Site Safe every two years where they repeat over and over the same things.  To pay $75 or less (and remember the price isn't set in stone) to get updates on codes and legislation to ensure I work safely, maybe some health and safety to also ensure I don't get pinged by Worksafe and maybe feedback from disciplinary processes sounds like a common sense approach.  The good suppliers will continue to run courses on their products - but going to these doesn't ensure you are competent.  I went on one course where they promised to update me on the latest gas changes - and the course was a year out of date - sure they covered the certification changes, but completely missed the changed in 5601 which were two months before the course.  Wouldn't you rather than some consistent course material delivered by trainers that will ensure you keep out of trouble and actually learn something?  Product training is just that - product training - good - but not a measure of competence.  I think the Federation have got this one right and their submission is well worth supporting.