Will reforms address the current confidence crisis affecting the NSW building and construction industry?

In brief - The NSW Government has released and is consulting on draft legislation designed to strengthen accountability of building practitioners and to improve the quality and compliance of design and documentation within the NSW building industry

In 2019, the NSW Government released the draft Design and Building Industry Practitioners Bill 2019 for industry feedback. The Bill is in response to the Shergold Weir Report commissioned by the BMF (Building Ministers Forum) which considered the efficacy of enforcement and compliance systems across the building and construction industry.

The Bill was released amid a background of what has been termed by the media and industry spokespersons as a major confidence crisis in the building and construction industry at state, national and international levels. It follows a series of well-publicised events such as the major defects of the Opal Tower and Mascot Tower in Sydney, the Lacrosse and Neo 200 fires in Melbourne,