Building Ministers work towards a better, safer future

Australia’s Building Ministers have agreed to develop an implementation plan for reforms aimed at ensuring the safety of the building and construction sector. 

Minister for Small and Family Business, the Workplace and Deregulation Craig Laundy said the implementation plan is in response to the Building Confidence Report, an industry reform paper commissioned by the Australian Building Ministers’ Forum in 2017. 

At its most recent meeting in Adelaide, the Minister’s Forum agreed initial reforms would focus on improving the integrity of private building surveyors, including better registration and approval processes. 

The meeting included an Industry Forum, where more than 20 representatives from industry associations and peak bodies made it clear that they support and are willing to work with government to reform compliance and enforcement regimes. 

“Effective compliance and enforcement systems in the building and construction industry are critical for Australians to have confidence in their built environment. The Building Confidence Report is our roadmap for reform,” Minister Laundy said. 

Ministers also discussed the national Review of Security of Payment Laws, and committed to work collaboratively to improve consistency in security of payment regimes across jurisdictions. 

“Getting paid on time for work done is fundamental to the many small and medium enterprises that make up our building industry,” Mr Laundy said. 

“The meeting of the Building Ministers was productive and the agreement for an implementation plan is an important first step forward, however it’s critical for states and territories to commit to genuinely working cooperatively to improve the lives of all Australians through a more harmonised and better enforced building industry,” Mr Laundy said. 

The BMF Communiqué is available on the BMF website at 

www.industry.gov.au/BMF