Page 1573 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 14 May 2019
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MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I am not aware of and I have not been briefed on any other organisation that has had this kind of matter raised. Again, I do not want to speak to the specifics because the matter is currently the subject of litigation.
MR WALL: Minister, will you guarantee that no not-for-profits will be adversely affected by the inconsistent application of the long service leave act?
MS STEPHEN-SMITH: I think the assertion in Mr Wall’s question speaks directly to the matter that is currently subject to litigation.
Construction industry—consultation
MR PARTON: My question is to the Minister for Building Quality Improvement. Minister, I refer to comments in the media from Gary Petherbridge from the Owners Corporation Network on 4 May this year about consultation with your office:
As for consultation, I attempted to have a meeting with the Minister about three or four weeks ago and that was refused. I did meet the chief of staff, but generally the access to the Minister is very poor.
The head of the MBA ACT, the Housing Industry Association and the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors ACT Branch were advised of delays to the introduction of the national construction code the day before they were due to begin. Why have communication and consultation with stakeholders about building quality been so poor?
MR RAMSAY: I thank Mr Parton for the question. I reject the premise that it has been poor. Certainly there has been a range of consultation in relation to a number of matters in building reform and certainly what has happened recently is that we have been in close consultation with both local and national bodies: the MBA and the HIA, the building surveyors and the Property Council. We will continue to work very closely as we roll out other reforms that we know are the reforms that Canberra deserves.
As I have said before, there are 43 recommendations that have come through on the reforms. A number of those have already been implemented. A number of those will be implemented by the end of June. The rest will be implemented by the middle of next year.
I will continue to work closely with industry and closely with people right across the community to make sure that Canberra does indeed have high quality buildings, confidence in the sector and a strong and active regulatory system.
MR PARTON: Minister, what actions have you taken as minister to improve consultation and communication with the stakeholder groups who do not seem to agree with your summation of the adequacy of your consultation to date?
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