Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) officers targeted 54 active building sites over 3 days in May checking the licences of almost 200 individuals.
QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says the QBCC’s ongoing campaign to stamp out unlicensed, illegal and defective work across the State also detected two other individuals suspected of hiring an unlicensed contractor.
“These individuals will now be subject to further investigations by the QBCC which could lead to fines or prosecution,” Commissioner Levy says.
“These activities are illegal and the QBCC has zero tolerance for such activities, which is why the QBCC is proactively running this campaign.
“By identifying and preventing unlawful activity we can help protect owners from financial risks or defective building work.
“Our compliance audits ensure there is a level playing field for our licensees who are doing the right thing by obtaining qualifications and experience and providing the QBCC with evidence of their financial stability each year.”
Commissioner Levy says the QBCC’s audits are not just about detecting offences, as the majority of individuals working on building sites are licensed and doing the right thing.
“When individuals working on building sites are licensed, our officers can then shift their focus to engaging with licensees and home owners to raise awareness of topical issues, provide them with advice on their rights and responsibilities, and information about the role of the QBCC,” she says.
“Building strong relationships with industry members and home owners allows us to foster a culture of professionalism and compliance and helps ensure safer construction practices."
The QBCC urges all members of the public to only use licensed contractors for their building project, regardless of the size of the project.
The QBCC website provides free information to help home and property owners find a qualified, licensed local contractor.
Background
In the 2023-24 financial year to date, the QBCC Compliance and Enforcement team has conducted 1,325 visits to active building sites and checked that 4,453 individuals were appropriately licensed.
During these site audits QBCC officers detected 82 people suspected of performing unlicensed work and a further 15 individuals suspected of hiring an unlicensed worker.
In 2022-2023, the QBCC issued 313 individuals with fines for unlicensed contracting or unlicensed contracting-related offences, while 65 received warnings.
An individual or company caught working without a licence can be issued with a penalty infringement notice or prosecuted