As part of an ongoing campaign to stamp out unlicensed, illegal and defective building work across the State, officers from the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) audited 28 building sites across the Gold Coast and checked the licences of more than 120 individuals.
QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says the QBCC regulates building work from Cape York to Coolangatta and regulates more than 118,000 licensees, ranging from builders to plumbers and pool inspectors.
“Conducting regular site audits and checking individual licences across the State is just one of the ways the QBCC is safeguarding the building and construction sector, its workers and consumers,” Commissioner Levy says.
“One of our main priorities is to protect property owners from defective building work and by conducting regular site audits and checking individual licences, we can put a stop to those performing work illegally.”
Commissioner Levy says the six people suspected of performing unlicensed work are now subject to further investigations which could result in prosecution.
“Regulatory action can range from warnings for non-compliant site signage, for example, to monetary fines or even prosecution, and where repeat offending is uncovered during the investigation process, the QBCC will take a tougher stance to encourage future compliance across the sector,” Commissioner Levy says.
While Commissioner Levy says it is important to catch those who think they can flout the law, the QBCC’s ongoing campaign reveals most contractors are doing the right thing at building sites.
"When people are doing the right thing, our QBCC officers are then able to take the opportunity to engage with licensees and property owners to raise awareness of topical issues, provide them with advice on their rights and responsibilities, and information about the role of the QBCC.
“These positive interactions with industry and our consumers help us build strong relationships, which in turn helps foster a culture of compliance and safer construction practices.”
Background
In the 2023-2024 financial year, QBCC officers conducted 1,134 building site audits around the State which resulted in 4,681 licence audits. Of these, 29 were identified as unlicensed contractors.
An individual or company caught working without a licence can be issued with fines of up to $3,226 or prosecuted in court. Repeat offending can lead to imprisonment for up to a year.