The newly appointed Minister for Building Quality Improvement, Gordon Ramsay has announced firm new measures to make the ACT’s builders more accountable for their work.
Mr Ramsay said that as Canberra grew there was a need to ensure that building work occurring around the city complied with both ACT and national building standards.
“We have already put the building sector on notice about building quality,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Having established a new Ministerial portfolio for Building Quality Improvement, the Government has been coordinating a suite of measures to improve standards and provide confidence to buyers,” he said.
“The requirement for mandatory exams for Class A, B and C builders has commenced. This will be extended to target builders renewing across the classes in the coming months.”
Mr Ramsay said the Government had a clear plan to address building quality and in coming months through the reform program and on the ground, regulation would drive building improvement in three key ways.
He said these were raising professionalism and the standard of practice; providing strong enforcement regulations; and providing information the community needs to be aware of their rights and obligations when buying or renovating a property.
“The exams are part of the significant building regulatory system reforms that have been delivered since 2013 following the review of the ACT Building System,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Any applicant who is refused a licence for failing the exam won’t be eligible to reapply again for six months,” he said.
“If they are refused a second time the period extends to 12 months and if they are refused a third time they won’t be eligible for another two years.”
