Significant red tape surrounding regulation of the Western Australian building industry has been removed, with the creation of a Building Commission division of the Department of Commerce.
Significant red tape surrounding regulation of the Western Australian building industry has been removed, with the creation of a Building Commission division of the Department of Commerce.
Commerce Minister Troy Buswell said the Building Commission, in effect from today, would consolidate the operations of the Builders Registration Board; Painters Registration Board; Plumbers Licensing Board; and the Building Industry Development directorate from the Department of Treasury and Finance.
"The Building Commission will provide a 'one-stop shop' for industry and consumers for registration and licensing, building and plumbing standards, industry development, technical information and disputes," Mr Buswell said.
"This consolidation of building regulation will drive efficiencies in administration and enable improved service delivery, especially in regional and outer-metropolitan areas.
"Consumers will benefit from a single, independent and knowledgeable source of information, rather than dealing with four separate entities."
The Minister said he would introduce legislation to State Parliament later this year to replace the Builders and Painters registration boards with the Building Commission.
The legislation will also allow the commission to be funded by registration and licence fees as well as a levy on building approvals.
"The Building Commission will also manage streamlining of the building approvals process under a new Building Act currently being drafted," he said.
"The new legislation will group registration of builders, painters, building surveyors and specialist certifiers to enable them to be transferred to the proposed national licensing system approved by the Council of Australian Governments in April.
"The Plumbers Licensing Board will continue to operate through the Building Commission until plumber licensing also moves to the national licensing system."
The Department of Commerce comprises five operating divisions - Consumer Protection; Labour Relations; Energy Safety; Science; Innovation and Business; and WorkSafe.
Mr Buswell said the Building Commission would work closely with these divisions of the department to support an innovative, safe, fair and profitable building industry that delivered a good deal for consumers and property owners.
"The new legislation will also deliver an improved building disputes' process with a strong emphasis on independent advice and conciliation, backed up by the State Administrative Tribunal as an independent arbiter for intractable matters," he said.
