CFMEU ACT has welcomed proposed building and construction reforms but warns the government must do more to make the industry safer and fairer.
Minister for Sustainable Business and Construction Rebecca Vassarotti on Thursday will introduce a bill to the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The bill includes:
* Changes to security of payments laws to make it easier for ACT-based workers and contractors to get money owed to them * Safer regulations for installing medical gas and electricity
CFMEU ACT Secretary Zach Smith backed the legislation.
“These changes will make building and construction in the ACT safer and fairer for workers, residents and the industry more broadly,” he said.
“Harmonising security of payments laws between the ACT and NSW is a no brainer.
“It made no sense that a worker or subcontractor had an easier time in getting money owed to them after a business went under if they were on the other side of the ACT border.
“The next step needs to be statutory trusts. That would mean during a job, money is held in a trust account so it’s easily recoverable if a builder goes bust.
“We also welcome this bill’s new safety regulations which will help more tradies come home from work.
“The ACT still doesn’t have a developer licensing scheme in place, despite it being a 2019 commitment.
“This has been a long fight and we’re now getting to the pointy end.
“We want to see a developer licensing bill introduced to the assembly with real teeth to stamp out dodgy operators that have ridden roughshod over Canberrans for too long.
“In the ACT you need a license to drive a car, sell a beer or breed a kitten. But there’s nothing stopping you being a property developer that employs hundreds, changes the city and rakes in million of dollars, without any worries.
“It would make sense to introduce occupational licensing for bricklayers, carpenters and other trades at the same time as the developer scheme that Canberrans clearly want.”
