Building Minister's Forum Meeting

Master Builders Australia's
National Director of Industry Policy Alex Waldren keeps a constant eye on the Building Minister's Forum (BMF) and this is her update on the meeting in December 2019

Building Ministers Forum met on Friday last week and discussed issues Building Confidence report implementation, security of payment, insurance matters, , better use of technology in regulation, cladding labelling, ASQA review of industry qualifications and fire safety measures for childhood centres.  Key actions from the meeting include:

Building Confidence Report implementation – focus of work

Development of proposed amendments to the 2019 NCC that include:

• A best practice process for development of performance solutions.
• A new definition for complex buildings with regulatory interventions.  Further consultation will happen in early in 2020.

Other work underway

• Development of CPD module on the NCC (MBA awaiting response from ABCB on tender process for developing CPD modules on the NCC).
• Development of a nationally consistent code of conduct for building surveyors with consultation early 2020.
• Development of national specification for building manuals for commercial buildings.
• Development of model provisions for documenting, approving and recording performance solutions.
• Work on national data-sharing framework to support development of a national data portal that will begin in early 2020.  Data from state/territory government will support education and compliance enforcement activity.

Professional indemnity Insurance

• There will be a meeting  in Feb 2020 with ICA to discuss suite of options and a further meeting with certifier and building industry associations.
• BMF calls on industry associations to develop professional standards schemes, meeting in Feb 2020 with certifier and building industry associations.

Security of Payment

• Jurisdictions seek to apply model parameters if considering statutory trusts and continue to assess costs and benefits of implementing statutory trusts.

Technology  in regulation

• Data 61 CSIRO – briefing on digital solutions for improving compliance (Digital Twins).

Aluminium Composite Panels (labelling)

• Standards Australia technical specification for labelling ACPs to be included in NCC. An Australian Standard for labelling will be developed.

ASQA Review

• Building Ministers briefed on the ASQA planned audit of building and construction qualifications.

Fire Safety Childhood Centres (high rise buildings)

• An out of cycle amendment on enhanced fire safety performance solution measures to be included in the 2019 NCC.