Review of developers
Last year, the Queensland government convened a three-person panel charged with reviewing the role of developers in the building and construction industry.
Key to the review was considering the impact developers have on the quality and safety of the design, construction, and certification of buildings and other work practices along with advancing favourable security of payment outcomes in the building and construction industry.
Here’s an update on the review of developers in Queensland.
Discussion paper
Following 12 months of engagement with industry participants and stakeholders, the panel released its long awaited 60-page Discussion Paper in November 2022. The panel was clear to say the Discussion Paper did not contain findings or recommendations. Rather, it listed 38 ‘options’ said to have been suggested by participants during its public consultation process.
Options included licensing of developers, mandatory disclosure obligations before developers enter into contracts with builders, minimum standards for tendering, cooling off periods, and an expansion of the existing unfair contracting legislation to comprehensively apply to developers.
Stakeholders were asked to provide submissions on the potential advantages and disadvantages of the options presented and whether the options were workable.
The deadline for industry submissions closed in early January 2023. We now await a final report from the panel of its ultimate findings and recommendations. No deadline or target date has been set at this stage. Watch this space!