QBCC fails to use its regulatory powers and ‘belongs on the scrap heap’

The pathetically low number of problem tradies being sanctioned by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission is just one indication that the regulatory body is broken and belongs on the scrap heap, writes Kylie Lang.

Hard to believe when you hear – or personally experience – horror stories of problem tradies that only 13 such workers have been sanctioned in the past four years.

But it starts to make sense when the regulatory body is the Queensland Building and Construction Commission.

The QBCC is so broken it should be thrown in a skip and taken to the dump.

And let’s not forget it is one of many statutory bodies marred by damning allegations of Palaszczuk governmental interference, in this case by Minister for Public Works Mick de Brenni and the unions.

While Mr de Brenni was pushed to announce a review into the QBCC’s structure in November, don’t expect much, if anything, to change after findings are released later this year.

Some institutions are beyond fixing.

And check the parameters of the probe, according to Jim Varghese who is in charge of it.

In a video posted to Facebook two weeks ago Mr Varghese said the review was “not about investigating and passing judgment on all complaints made about the QBCC” or “finding stakeholders or individuals guilty of misconduct or alleged corruption”.

It was about “identifying the roadblocks to increasing ownership of culture change”.

Make of that what you will, but it’s not surprising calls for a full judicial inquiry are growing by the day.

Queensland Minister for Public Works and Procurement Mick de Brenni with Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: John Gass

This week, The Courier-Mail reported that a convicted criminal had been cleared by the QBCC to get back to work.

Sunshine Coast carpenter Nathan Joseph Slonim was sentenced in November in Maroochydore District Court to 12 months’ jail, suspended for two years.

Mr Slonim had plead guilty to stalking after threatening to smash a council worker’s head “into a pulp’’ and later trying to sideswipe his car.

Barrister Mark Dixon had argued his client’s builder’s licence could be revoked were a conviction recorded. He needn’t have bothered.

Despite the conviction and QBCC policy stating it expects licensees “to be fit and proper persons at all times’’, Mr Slonim is back on the tools.

In a painfully familiar refrain, the regulatory body failed to exercise any of its disciplinary powers, which include cancelling or suspending licences.

As one industry insider told The Courier-Mail: “It is inconceivable that the proven criminal behaviour of the licensee in this case could be considered consistent with proper standards in the industry.”

Mr Slonim, who trades under the banner of BuildWiser Carpentry in Mooloolaba, declined to comment this week.

So too Mr de Brenni, other than to say the case is an “operational matter for the commission’’. As for the QBCC, a spokeswoman says it can’t comment on specifics, citing privacy laws.

Nothing to see here, folks.

Nathan Joseph Slonim

In good news this week, Townsville homeowner Mark Agius had a win. Sort of. With no thanks to the QBCC.

After four years – and Mr Agius outlaying almost $1 million in his fight – the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruled that Gedoun Constructions pay him $222,000.

At issue was Mr Agius’s claim that his home had not been built to cyclone three standard but downgraded by Gedoun to cyclone two.

Telling anyone he thought would listen – including Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Minister de Brenni, both of whom didn’t – Mr Agius claimed the QBCC also had let him down by ignoring the evidence he presented.

In its defence, the QBCC issued a statement saying its decision considered “various opinions of numerous experts”.

Mr de Brenni said he could not comment, and Gedoun Constructions advised it was seeking advice on whether to appeal QCAT’s ruling.

What the separate cases of Mr Agius and Mr Slonim scream with piercing clarity is that the QBCC is failing the industry and gormless punters who trust the credibility of its licensing system.

The QBCC needs much more than a review of “roadblocks” to “cultural change”.

I don’t envy new CEO Annisa Levy, who started in the job this week, one bit.

The QBCC is a mess and belongs on the scrap heap.

Kylie Lang is associate editor of the Courier-Mail

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