Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) officers checked the licences of almost 90 individuals as part of an ongoing campaign around the State to stamp out unlicensed, illegal and defective work.
QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says the three-day audit of Cairns residential building sites also detected another three individuals suspected of hiring an unlicensed worker.
“The three people suspected of performing unlicensed work and the builders suspected of engaging them are now subject to further investigations which could lead to fines or prosecution,” Commissioner Levy says.
“The QBCC has zero tolerance for these illegal activities and by proactively identifying and preventing unlawful activity we can help protect owners from financial risks or defective building work.
“Our compliance audits also 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 previous campaigns have revealed the majority of individuals working on building sites are licensed.
“When we find people doing the right thing, 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
For the 2024 year to date, QBCC officers around the State have audited more than 170 sites and interviewed more than 300 contractors. These audits have detected 13 people suspected of performing unlicensed work and a further four individuals 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 of up to $3,096 or prosecuted in court. Repeat offending can lead to imprisonment for up to a year.