Creating Further Trust in our Construction Sector

NT Government

The Territory Labor Government is prioritising reforms to building regulations to give our community even greater confidence in the local building industry.

Territorians deserve to have confidence and certainty that all building practitioners will provide a quality product or service, and today, the Northern Territory Parliament has passed the Building Amendment Bill 2022.

This Bill will provide the Building Practitioners Board greater scope to conduct an inquiry into the work or conduct of a building practitioner whose registration has ceased, and increase the financial penalties for professional misconduct by building practitioners.

Changes brought in today mean that there will be an increase in the maximum financial penalties for building practitioners found guilty of professional misconduct, and increase the period of work subject to an inquiry for a building practitioner who is no longer registered from three years to seven years.

The Bill increases the maximum financial penalties for building practitioners to 160 penalty units ($25 920) for individuals and 800 penalty units ($129 600) for corporations, bringing them into line with other jurisdictions.

Community confidence in the building industry is reliant on building practitioners conducting themselves professionally. As well as safety risks, professional misconduct in the building industry can result in significant financial loss for building owners and occupiers. This is why we are prioritising Building Reform.

In other Building Reform measures, from 31 January 2022, an independent third party review of structural designs for significant and complex buildings, including apartment buildings that have three or more storeys, has been required in the Northern Territory. Registration for commercial builders and continuing professional development for builders is also being progressed as a priority.

Quotes from Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics Eva Lawler:

“The Territory Labor Government is on the side of Territorians who deserve a strong and reputable building industry, and we are on the side of those practitioners’ who take pride in their work to help grow the Territory.

“One act of professional misconduct by a practitioner is one too many; this is why we have made these positive changes today.

“This Government is progressing reforms to our construction industry to protect Territorians and those practitioners who do the right thing by consumers.”

Northern Territory Government

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