The IAC was established in April 2023 to provide observations, strategic advice and guidance to the Board in relation to matters affecting the building and construction industry.

Peter, Brenden and Úna join existing committee members:

Peter Chamberlain

Peter is a Senior Building Certifier / Building Development Compliance Officer with the Sunshine Coast Regional Council.

Over the past 37 years, Peter has working in the Queensland building and construction industry in both the private and public sectors. He has experience as a trade-qualified carpenter and joiner, builder, leading-hand, foreman, building fire safety advisor, project manager, tribunal representative and building certifier. Peter is currently accredited by the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors and holds a QBCC Level 2 building certifier licence.

Peter’s current role includes supervising a team of building and development compliance officers and building certifiers.

Brenden Creed

Brenden is the Director and Principal Designer of BRD Group and has over 30 years of experience in building design, documentation and design management in Australia and overseas.

An award-winning designer, his work spans a diverse range of building types, including master-planned developments, corporate retail and hospitality, childcare, multi-residential and residential projects, as well as specialist disability accommodation (SDA) design.

Brenden is a Director on the Board of the Building Designers Association of Australia and chairs its Advocacy Committee and is also a Fellow Member of Building Design Queensland.

Úna Mc Kenna

Úna is a highly respected remedial consultant, with over 15 years of construction and engineering experience in Australia, as well as additional experience in Ireland. 

Úna specialises in diagnosing and managing building defects, typically in existing Class 2 buildings, and has played a pivotal role in the continuous growth and success of remedial teams within the industry in NSW and Queensland.

She is known for her expertise in forensic investigations, accurately diagnosing general building defects, and preparing clear and effective technical reports and specifications. She served on the board of the Australian Concrete Repair and Remedial Association from 2020–21.

QBCC Commissioner and CEO, 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.  

“These audits also ensure there is an equitable environment for our licensees by identifying and penalising unlawful operators.” Commissioner Levy says.

While most contractors are doing the right thing at building sites, it’s important to catch those who think they can flout the law to appropriately protect property owners and workers from financial risks or defective building work.

The audits also provide an opportunity for officers 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.

Recent audits on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast uncovered a number of individuals suspected of unlicensed contracting and several offences relating to non-compliant signage.

The QBCC audited 28 building sites across the Gold Coast and checked more than 120 licences, uncovering six individuals suspected of working without a licence.

Meanwhile on the Sunshine Coast, the QBCC’s officers nabbed four individuals suspected of unlicensed contracting after inspecting more than 50 building sites and performing licence checks of almost 105 workers. Another individual was suspected of hiring an unlicensed worker and officers detected a further 17 offences relating to non-compliant signage.

These individuals 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 theninvestigation process, the QBCC will take a tougher stance to encourage future compliance across the sector.

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. 

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.

Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) officers checked the licences of 105 individuals as part of an ongoing campaign around the State to stamp out unlicensed, illegal and defective work.

QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says another individual was suspected of hiring an unlicensed worker and officers detected a further 17 offences relating to non-compliant signage.

“The four people suspected of performing unlicensed work and the builder suspected of engaging an unlicensed worker are now subject to further investigations which could result in prosecution,” Commissioner Levy says.
“Those with non-compliant signage will receive warnings, however, if our investigations reveal any repeat offenders, our regulatory action will be more rigorous.”

While the QBCC’s ongoing audit campaign reveals most contractors are doing the right thing at building sites, Commissioner Levy says, it is important to catch those who think they can flout the law.

“Ultimately, it is about making sure building work is done appropriately to help protect property owners and workers from financial risks or defective building work,” Commissioner Levy says.

“These audits also ensure there is an equitable environment for our licensees by identifying and penalising unlawful operators.”

Commissioner Levy says the audits also provide an opportunity for officers 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.”

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.

Background

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.

Public licence register

The QBCC website provides free information to help home and property owners find a qualified, licensed local contractor.

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.