❓ A Member of Parliament questions the Minister for Commerce regarding concerns about building defects, particularly soft wall plastering, raised in media reports and a specific "White Set Plaster Report." The Minister responds by downplaying the severity of the issue, citing data from the Building Commission.
AnsweredQoN 1281Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BUILDING COMMISSION — ''WHITE SET
PLASTER REPORT''
1281. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for
Commerce:
(1) How will the
Minister for Commerce respond to the recent media reports on Channel Nine news
Perth that highlighted that Western Australian building inspectors believe that
the quality of building has more defects than ever before?
(2) Given that
the Channel Nine news report outlined that soft wall plastering caused by
shortcutting of materials was the number one problem found by inspectors, how
is the government protecting housing consumers?
(3) With
complaints to the Building Commission rising to 916 in 2015–16, coupled
with the ''White Set Plaster Report'' and the increasing distress
of new home owners illustrated in the Channel Nine news report, what is the
government doing to inform and protect consumers?
(4) Given that
the ''White Set Plaster Report'' presented to the minister some
six months ago illustrated that around one in 10 homes are affected by
substandard plaster, does the minister share the view of the Builder
Commissioner expressed on the Channel Nine news on 26 October that there is no
evidence of a systemic problem?
PLASTER REPORT''
1281. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for
Commerce:
(1) How will the
Minister for Commerce respond to the recent media reports on Channel Nine news
Perth that highlighted that Western Australian building inspectors believe that
the quality of building has more defects than ever before?
(2) Given that
the Channel Nine news report outlined that soft wall plastering caused by
shortcutting of materials was the number one problem found by inspectors, how
is the government protecting housing consumers?
(3) With
complaints to the Building Commission rising to 916 in 2015–16, coupled
with the ''White Set Plaster Report'' and the increasing distress
of new home owners illustrated in the Channel Nine news report, what is the
government doing to inform and protect consumers?
(4) Given that
the ''White Set Plaster Report'' presented to the minister some
six months ago illustrated that around one in 10 homes are affected by
substandard plaster, does the minister share the view of the Builder
Commissioner expressed on the Channel Nine news on 26 October that there is no
evidence of a systemic problem?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1) I understand
that the views expressed in the report were from a single private building
inspector. The Department of Commerce's Building Commission division
disagrees with his views. In 2015–16, the number of complaints about
defective work decreased from the previous year and the results of audits of
building work show an overall improvement in the level of compliance with
building standards.
� (2) The Building Commission has not seen any
evidence to indicate that soft wall plastering is a systemic issue. As at
August 2016, the Building Commission had received 15 relevant complaints since
March 2015. This represents approximately 1.2 per cent of its overall
complaints.
(3) In 2015–16,
there were 48 fewer complaints than in 2014–15. The Building Commission
prepares and publishes industry bulletins to guide and assist builders on how
to comply with building standards. In August 2016, the Building Commission
published an industry bulletin to guide builders and painters on their
respective responsibilities in response to the issues raised by the '' White Set Plaster Report'' .
Generally, the Building Commission publishes a range of information and
provides advice to consumers and industry on its website, through its contact
centre, via media releases and through media interviews. A range of protections
has been established through various building service acts, including minimum contracting
requirements; the registration requirements of builders, which include
financial assessments and fit-and-proper tests for individual building
practitioners; dispute resolution services and the ability for consumers to
lodge a building service complaint up to six years from completion of building
work and a contractual dispute up to three years from the time the dispute
arose; auditing of building work; the ability to take disciplinary action
against registered building service providers; and home indemnity insurance.
(4) The report
provides no evidence to support claims about the prevalence of the issue. I reiterate
that the Building Commission has not seen any evidence to indicate that soft
wall plastering is a systemic problem. As at August 2016, it had received 15
relevant complaints since March 2015, representing 1.2 per cent of its overall
complaints.
some notice of the question.
(1) I understand
that the views expressed in the report were from a single private building
inspector. The Department of Commerce's Building Commission division
disagrees with his views. In 2015–16, the number of complaints about
defective work decreased from the previous year and the results of audits of
building work show an overall improvement in the level of compliance with
building standards.
� (2) The Building Commission has not seen any
evidence to indicate that soft wall plastering is a systemic issue. As at
August 2016, the Building Commission had received 15 relevant complaints since
March 2015. This represents approximately 1.2 per cent of its overall
complaints.
(3) In 2015–16,
there were 48 fewer complaints than in 2014–15. The Building Commission
prepares and publishes industry bulletins to guide and assist builders on how
to comply with building standards. In August 2016, the Building Commission
published an industry bulletin to guide builders and painters on their
respective responsibilities in response to the issues raised by the '' White Set Plaster Report'' .
Generally, the Building Commission publishes a range of information and
provides advice to consumers and industry on its website, through its contact
centre, via media releases and through media interviews. A range of protections
has been established through various building service acts, including minimum contracting
requirements; the registration requirements of builders, which include
financial assessments and fit-and-proper tests for individual building
practitioners; dispute resolution services and the ability for consumers to
lodge a building service complaint up to six years from completion of building
work and a contractual dispute up to three years from the time the dispute
arose; auditing of building work; the ability to take disciplinary action
against registered building service providers; and home indemnity insurance.
(4) The report
provides no evidence to support claims about the prevalence of the issue. I reiterate
that the Building Commission has not seen any evidence to indicate that soft
wall plastering is a systemic problem. As at August 2016, it had received 15
relevant complaints since March 2015, representing 1.2 per cent of its overall
complaints.
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