A new agreement by the Building Ministers Forum to implement a national approach to reforms is a major step forward in addressing poor building outcomes and restoring community confidence. Via FPA Australia.
At a Building Ministers Forum (BMF) meeting this morning, state, territory and Commonwealth ministers announced a unanimous decision to establish a national approach to implementation of recommendations made by the landmark Shergold-Weir report, Building Confidence.
The new national approach will see an expanded role for the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB), and establishment of a dedicated implementation team under the aegis of the ABCB. The implementation team will include both government and industry representatives, and will drive implementation of the Shergold-Weir report’s recommendations, including potential changes to the National Construction Code (NCC).
As part of the change, the ABCB’s strategic plan will be recast, and the organisation’s capabilities further strengthened to meet its expanded role and responsibilities.
“The announcement today is a significant step forward for both the building sector, including fire protection, and the community, and paves the way to deliver an important program of reforms,” said Scott Williams, CEO of Fire Protection Association Australia (FPA Australia), who attended the BMF meeting in Sydney.
“Building compliance is a national problem, and we congratulate the BMF on coming together to agree to a national response. The ABCB is absolutely the correct vehicle to drive that response, and its coordination will provide the leadership and stability needed to implement the major reforms required.
“The community’s trust in the building sector has been eroded, and there is a lot of work to be done to restore that by both industry and government. There is no more important time for us to be united and work together to rebuild that trust.”
