Joint Select Committee on the Quality of Buildings

This committee is inactive. Contact and Member information appearing on this page is historical only.

The Joint Select Committee on the Quality of Buildings is a completed joint select committee, established 19 Mar 2002, and ended 19 July 2002.

A Joint Select Committee has been appointed to consider and report upon the quality of buildings

Inquiries (click to show)

No inquiries have been referred to the committee.

Reports and Government Responses (click to show)

Members (click to show)

Position
Chair: Mr David Campbell MP.
Members:Mr James ANDERSON (, )
 The Hon. David CAMPBELL (ALP, LA Member)
 Mr Barry COLLIER (ALP, LA Member)
 Mrs Judy HOPWOOD (Lib, LA Member)
 Ms Alison MEGARRITY (ALP, LA Member)
 The Hon. Adrian PICCOLI (Nat, LA Member)
 The Hon. Amanda FAZIO (ALP, LC Member)
 The Hon. John RYAN (Lib, LC Member)
 The Hon. Helen SHAM-HO OAM (, LC Member)

Contact (click to show)

RoleNamePhoneFaxEmail
Main contactCarolynne James9230 34349230 3309carolynne.james@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Committee ManagerIan Thackeray9230 3308 ian.thackeray@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Project OfficerCarolynne James9230 3434 carolynne.james@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Committee OfficerJason Reodique  jason.reodique@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Postal address (click to show)

Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000

Terms of Reference establishing Committee (click to show)

Message from Legislative Assembly 14 March 2002, 3rd Session, Minutes No. 4, Item 2. Resolution agreed to with amendment, Council Members appointed, and message to Assembly — 19 March 2002, 3rd Session, Minutes No. 5, Items 10 and 11. Message from Legislative Assembly agreeing to amendment to the resolution—19 March 2002, 3rd Session, Minutes No. 5, Items 15.

A Joint Select Committee has been appointed to consider and report upon the quality of buildings with the following terms of reference:

(1)(a) The Committee inquire generally into the quality of buildings in NSW to determine whether there are enough checks and balances existing to ensure consumers are guaranteed that their new homes are safe, properly certified and built to satisfactory standards.

(b) The Committee inquire into and report on the certification process created under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and in operation since July 1998, including, but not limited to:

    (i) What changes if any, need to be made to tighten the certification process;
    (ii) What sort of qualifications experience and conduct is expected of the people who certify buildings and how should their certification be monitored; and
    (iii) Whether there is enough regulatory power in the certification system to deal with buildings that do not comply with the approval codes and standards.

(c) The Committee shall also inquire into:
    (i) The adequacy of disciplinary procedures available in the certification process;
    (ii)The adequacy of current minimum building standards, particularly in regard to waterproofing, thermal and noise insulation in meeting environmental and cost performance expectations in the community; and
    (iii)The extent to which matters such as inappropriate building standards and shortfalls in the current certification system have resulted in increased pressures on the Home Warranty Insurance Scheme.

(d) The Committee inquire into and report on the builders' licensing scheme as established under the Home Building Act 1989, including, but not limited to:
    (i) The qualifications, experience and conduct required for the licensing of the people who build our residential buildings;
    (ii) The adequacy of the checks and balances in the builders' licensing scheme; and
    (iii) The role of the Department of Fair Trading and the Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal in dispute resolution under the Act.

The Committee is to report by 19 July 2002.

Further reading (click to show)

Hearings for the inquiry start on Monday 6 May. For information about hearing times and topics click here.

The Joint Select Committee on the Quality of Buildings is now calling for submisions to this inquiry. The closing date for submissions is Friday 19 April 2002. Submissions should refer to the Terms of Reference. A suggested format/ outline for submissions is also available below and also in word document attached. Submissions can be sent by email to qob@parliament.nsw.gov.au or faxed to 02 9230 3309 or posted to:

The Committee Manager
Joint Select Committee on the Quality of Buildings
Parliament House
Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000

SUGGESTED SUBMISSION OUTLINE FOR INQUIRY INTO QUALITY OF BUILDINGS
Without limiting the information you may wish to provide in response to the Inquiry’s Terms of Reference, the Committee suggests that submissions could be organised around the following outline, as applicable:

The role/ activities of your organisation in the building industry
The Building Certification system
· Certification and building regulation processes
· Regulation, accreditation and conduct of private and council certifiers
· Disciplinary and enforcement issues
· Suggested changes
Building Codes and Standards
· Adequacy current minimum building standards
· Effects of standards and certification on Home Warranty Insurance
· Suggested changes
Builders Licensing
· Quality of licensed builders
· Effectiveness of licensing regime
· Role of the Department of Fair Trading and the Consumer Trader and Tenancy Tribunal
· Suggested changes
Other building related issues or concerns

Please note the closing date for submissions is 19 April 2002.

Building Inquiry Information.pdfGuidelines on Making Submissions.pdfPress Release.pdfTranscript - 6 May 2002.doc