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- Publications
- News
- Policies and initiatives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Artificial intelligence
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian Space Agency
- Boosting innovation and science
- Co-hosting the Square Kilometre Array
- Increasing international collaboration
- Industry growth centres
- Industry Innovation and Science Australia
- National Measurement Institute
- Optical astronomy in Australia
- Participating in the digital economy
- Promoting innovation precincts
- Science in our department
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Energy
Resources
Northern Australia
Trade
Business support
Measurement services
Government to government services
- Regulations and standards
Emissions reduction
Energy
Resources
- Applying to export rough diamonds
- Applying to export uranium and controlled ores
- Offshore mineral exploration and mining
- Offshore oil and gas exploration and development
- Offshore petroleum exploration acreage release process
- Regulating offshore oil and gas in Australian Commonwealth waters
- Regulating the Ranger Uranium Mine
- Taxes and royalties on minerals and petroleum
Measurement
Trade
Space industry
Building industry
Business support
- Funding and incentives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Australian Square Kilometre Array Fellowships Programme
- Business Research and Innovation Initiative
- Business-research collaboration
- Collaborating with Asia-Pacific on science, research and innovation
- Collaborating with China on science and research
- Collaborating with India on science and research
- Cooperative research centres
- Enabling international space investment
- Industry 4.0
- Inspiring Australia: Science engagement in Australia
- International research collaboration
- Moon to Mars: opportunities for Australian businesses
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Supporting advanced manufacturing
- Supporting business and innovation
- Supporting space infrastructure growth
- Transitioning Australia’s automotive manufacturing industry
- Venture capital
Resources
- About us
COVID-19
Jobs
Who we are
- Our Ministers
- Our Executive team
- Organisation chart
- Our portfolio agencies
- Overseas engagement
- Anti-Dumping Commission
- Anti-Dumping Review Panel
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian SKA Office
- Australian Space Agency
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
- National Measurement Institute
- Office of Innovation and Science Australia
- Office of Northern Australia
- Office of the Chief Economist
- Office of the Chief Scientist
Who we work with
Reporting and accountability
- Annual report
- Assurance and Audit Committee
- Budget statements
- Campaign Certification Statements
- Continuing Order of the Senate
- Corporate plan
- Deregulation agenda
- Freedom of information
- Gifts and benefits register
- Grants reporting
- Information Publication Scheme
- Our contracts
- Privacy impact assessments
- Public interest disclosure
- Senate Order 15: portfolio appointments and vacancies
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On this page
Building and construction
We work with state and territory governments to ensure a more efficient and internationally competitive building and construction industry. This includes the adoption of nationally consistent regulations such as the National Construction Code (NCC).
To help maintain a stable regulatory framework for national industry, the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology chairs the Building Ministers’ Forum (BMF). The Australian Government collaborates with state and territory governments through the BMF's sub-groups.
Restoring confidence in the built environment
The Australian Government, with Australian states and territories, is creating a stronger building and construction sector in Australia.
While we don't have constitutional power to regulate the built environment, we’re working through the BMF to restore confidence by:
- mitigating the public safety risks of industry non‑compliance
- addressing systemic problems in the industry consistently and in a timely way
The BMF commissioned independent experts Professor Peter Shergold AC and Bronwyn Weir to assess Australia’s building and construction industry compliance and enforcement systems.
The Building Confidence Report was published in February 2018.
The report found some deficiencies in Australia’s building industry culture and governance arrangements. It made 24 recommendations to improve compliance and ensure building safety in Australia.
In July 2019 the BMF agreed to implement these recommendations nationally through the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB).
Implementation team and national framework
An implementation team has been established within the ABCB.
The team will develop a national framework for acting on the report recommendations and ensuring they are implemented consistently. The team will also:
- make sure the design, construction and certification of complex buildings is consistent
- report on the framework to the public
The national framework outlines a range of work to be done, including:
- amendments to the National Construction Code
- model legislative provisions,
- non‑regulatory tools and
- educational programs
The implementation team is engaging with industry and all states and territories to move this work forward.
Ultimately, state and territory governments are responsible for implementing the Building Confidence report recommendations.
Combustible cladding
While the Australian Government is concerned for residents and others affected by building failures, Australia’s state and territory governments are responsible for regulating building and construction activities including the remediation and rectification of combustible cladding.
State and territory cladding audits
Following the Grenfell Tower fire in the United Kingdom in 2017, Australian states and territories are auditing high-rise buildings to determine how much non‑compliant cladding has been used.
The Commonwealth strongly encourages the states and territories to cooperate to rectify non‑compliant buildings. Each state and territory has its own approach to:
- identifying potentially non‑compliant cladding
- determining which buildings are high risk and must be rectified
For information on cladding audits in your state or territory visit the relevant website.
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
Western Australia
South Australia
Tasmania
Australian Capital Territory
If you’re concerned about your property or home
If you own an apartment and you're concerned it might have a defect or issue, contact the body corporate or owners' corporation.
Owners of other kinds of property can contact the consumer protection agency or building regulator in their state or territory.
If you rent an apartment, contact your landlord to report your concerns.
Inquiries and reviews
We provide input and respond to parliamentary inquiries including the:
We conduct legislative reviews of the Disability (Access to Premises-Building) Standards 2010.
Contact us
Email BuildingIndustry@industry.gov.au
See also
Find out about Australia's Standard and Conformance Infrastructure.
Related news
Last updated: 8 December 2020
Content ID: 43521