New building watchdog to crackdown on poor work and unethical behaviour

THE Victorian government will overhaul its building regulator and launch a new watchdog to oversee the state’s building and plumbing industries, as part of new measures to crackdown on dodgy practices and better protect Victorian homeowners.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny last week announced the changes, which will see the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) – the state’s existing building regulator – replaced with a more powerful watchdog with greater powers to tackle substandard work.

Backed by a $63.3 million investment, the new Building & Plumbing Commission will, for the first time, combine regulation, insurance and dispute resolution into a single agency, and will be resourced with a 50 per cent increase in auditors and frontline inspectors.

The overhaul follows the release of a damning independent review into the VBA, which found ineffective regulation and a dismissive approach to complainants had enabled “poor standards of building work”, “unethical conduct” and “unscrupulous industry behaviour” to “flourish” across the state’s building industry.

“For more of us, building a home will be the biggest investment we ever make, and Victorians rightly expect to get what they pay for – a properly built home,” Ms Kilkenny said.

“For those building, renovating or buying a home, the new regulator will mean peace of mind.

“For those found doing the wrong thing, it’ll mean consequences.”

Among the regulator’s new powers will be the capacity to direct builders to fix work beyond the occupants’ move-in day and prevent apartments with serious defects being sold.

The state government has also announced insurance reforms for consumers and stronger financial protections for apartment buyers, along with more streamlined pathways to resolve building disputes.

“When something goes wrong with their home the last thing families need is a complex and frustrating legal process,” Assistant Treasurer Danny Pearson said.

“That’s why we’re making it simpler to access insurance through our one-stop shop for consumers.”

The government will also work with industry and consumer groups on reforms to ensure the rules around domestic building contracts are clear and fair, with legislative change expected next year.

Minister for Consumer Affairs Gabrielle Williams said the state government was implementing the reforms to protect Victorians building or renovating their homes.

“Our one-stop shop will ensure consumers know where to go for advice and support,” she said.