Opinion: Time the fatally flawed QBCC was cleaned out
Minister Mick de Brenni must be stripped of his portfolio that oversees Queensland’s construction watchdog, having spectacularly failed, writes Peter Gleeson.
Peter Gleeson
Don't miss out on the headlines from Peter Gleeson. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Queensland Building and Construction Commission must be abolished, its board sacked and a new entity set up to oversee the state’s building industry.
Public Works and Procurement Minister Mick de Brenni must be stripped of the portfolio that oversees the QBCC, having spectacularly failed not only the building watchdog but Queenslanders.
Veteran former cabinet minister Robert Schwarten recently resigned as a board member, and others are set to follow.
This is about culture and incompetence and ministerial dithering and interference, despite de Brenni’s constant denials.
Multiple QBCC sources have confirmed to The Courier-Mail that nothing of any substance – on policy and legislation – goes ahead without the Minister’s imprimatur.
Right now, former senior Beattie government bureaucrat Dr Jim Varghese is conducting an inquiry into the QBCC.
His recommendations are eagerly awaited.
However, nothing short of complete reform will satisfy the many hundreds of whistleblowers and ex-employees who have spoken to The Courier-Mail about the cultural dysfunctionality that grips the organisation.
The Courier-Mail has obtained details of contracts disclosure for the QBCC from July 1, 2019, to December 31, 2001.
Known ALP donor, law firm Holdings Redlich received contracts to the value of $576,000 in 2019-20; $635,000 in 2020-21 and $560,000 so far this financial year.
Davidson Recruitment received contracts worth $156,000 in 2019-20 and $152,000 in 2020-21. Davidson donated $88,000 to Labor since 2018, according to donor records.
The question needs to be asked: There are just over 500 staff employed by the QBCC. Why is so much money being spent on recruitment?
If you had 10 per cent turnover of staff, which is high, that’s around $110,000 per person to replace them. This is an incredibly high figure.
Here’s a quirky one: In 2020-21, $48,000 was spent with Fit Finatix. It’s not easy to know what this firm does. There is an American firm with the same name that provides gym/fitness instruction. What was this expenditure for? Personal training for the senior staff?
Interesting expenditure at the QBCC is just one of its problems.
A Queensland parliamentary committee has addressed uncertainty around who’ll pay the multimillion-dollar bills expected to remove potentially deadly cladding from Queensland buildings, including high-rises.
The QBCC must be cleaned out, lock, stock and barrel.
More Coverage
