Queensland takes lead to protect homes from dodgy building imports

Queensland will deliver the most comprehensive building product safety laws in the country with the Palaszczuk Government introducing chain of responsibility legislation for non-conforming building products.

Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni said the laws would apply to all in the building product supply chain.

Designers, manufacturers, importers, suppliers and installers will be required to ensure building products are safe and fit for their intended purpose under sweeping changes to Queensland’s non-conforming building products laws.

“The proliferation of cheap, imported, substandard products entering our country is a risk to the health and safety of all Queenslanders.

“Under our new laws everyone in the building product supply chain will be accountable rather than just the tradie at the end of the line.

“These laws will close the doors to importers dumping dodgy products onto Queensland Building sites.

“These dodgy products are a risk to Queenslanders when they gather for events at public places, when they go to work in a modern office tower, when they visit major shopping centres and even when they return home at the end of the day.

“It’s about making sure everyone knows the building products they use are safe and fit for their intended purpose.”

Mr de Brenni said the new laws would also allow Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) officers to inspect buildings, take samples for testing and direct rectifications.

“Presently, the QBCC can inspect only active building sites – these changes will substantially expand the powers the QBCC has,” he said.

“The changes will also allow the State Government to recall products that are non-conforming, and issue warnings about them.”

Mr de Brenni said non-conforming building products posed a significant risk to the health and safety of Queenslanders.

“The use of non-conforming products threatens the integrity of a building, putting at risk people on building sites as well as all future users of the building,” he said.

“That’s not to mention the massive costs in rectifying the use of dodgy products that fail to meet building standards.

“Under these laws parties responsible in the supply chain can be directed to replace a product or fix the problem.”

Mr de Brenni said building product non-conformity and non-compliance had been the focus of the national Building Ministers’ Forum.

“Queensland has spearheaded reform across the country, filling the space left negligently vacant by the Turnbull Government,” Mr de Brenni said.

“The Commonwealth has failed to build a regime that protects Queenslanders from these harmful products, despite ongoing pressure, so our state has no choice but to take this significant action.

“The issue was highlighted nationally in 2014 by the Melbourne Lacrosse Tower fire, and earlier by insulation failures in Infinity electrical cables which resulted in a nation-wide recall,” he said.

Mr de Brenni said amendments to the Building and Construction Legislation (Non-Conforming Building Products-Chain of Responsibility and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2017 were expected to be in place before the end of the year.

[ENDS] 25 May 2017

Media contact: Tristan Douglas 0447 164 197