Recently, staff from our franchising office attended the HIA-Companion Systems Building & Business Symposium in NSW. The event covered a multitude of topics, to which the below is our key take aways from the event. The below information is relevent for NSW builders only.
- Building Defects Library: A new 38-page publication on common defects in Class 2, 3, and 9c buildings, available online.
- Yellow Card System: The NSW Building Commission uses a disciplinary system like football, issuing warnings and mandating training for skill deficiencies identified during site inspections.
- Training Development: New courses, in collaboration with Tafe NSW, cover topics like waterproofing, safety, contracts, and site supervision. Completion of these may be required if NSW Building Commission inspectors deem skills insufficient.
- Owner Builders: The NSW Building Commission is pushing for authority over owner builders to ensure all homes are supervised and constructed by skilled and licensed individuals.
- Geotechnical Reports: Increased scrutiny on reports lacking site-specific bore logs and lab testing, with potential legal consequences for builders.
- Regional Expansion: The NSW Building Commission is expanding its presence beyond Sydney, aiming to regulate cross-border trades and builders.
- Cable Labelling and Penetrations: Focus on proper labelling of electrical cable and repairs to penetrations created during construction.
- Employee vs. Contractor Definition: Changes to the legal definition, with implications for superannuation, workers' compensation, and potential criminal charges for underpayment from January 2025.
- Site Cleanliness: Maintaining a clean and safe site is crucial.
- Recycling and Site Waste: Encouragement of better waste segregation on sites to promote recycling.
- Industry Retention: Concerns over the aging workforce, with efforts to attract and retain new entrants through training and licensing reforms.
- Class 1 to Class 2/3 Pathways: Addressing barriers to builders moving into Class 2 and 3 to ensure sufficient capacity of skilled trades and builders in building sectors like NDIS housing.
- Waterproofing Licensing: Likely introduction of specialist licensing of waterproofing in NSW by 2025, similar to electrical and plumbing work.
