A WA parliamentary question seeks information regarding the employment status, contractual obligations, and code of conduct adherence of inspectors for the Builders Registration Board and Building Disputes Tribunal, as well as potential conflicts of interest in specific complaints.

AnsweredQoN 1688Legislative Council
Asked
11 December 2003
Portfolio
Consumer and Employment Protection

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the answer to question without notice 1672 given on 10 December 2003, and ask - (1) Are Mr Barry Knowles or Mr John O’Connor employed, or have they ever been employed, as inspectors for the Builders Registration Board of Western Australia or Building Disputes Tribunal; and, if so, for what period? (2) Have Mr Knowles or Mr O’Connor been engaged in some other capacity - for example, as occasional consultants - to act as inspectors by the Builders Registration Board or Building Disputes Tribunal; and, if so, for what period and for what cases? (3) Are BRB inspectors who are not employees also bound by the code of conduct tabled in the House on 10 December 2003? (4) Has the minister or the chairman of the Building Disputes Tribunal received any complaint of conflict of interest in respect of complaints Nos 4638 and 4639 - 6 and 8 Oxburgh Link, Success; and, if so, what action is being taken to address the question of perceived conflict of interest in this matter? Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

(1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(1) Are Mr Barry Knowles or Mr John O’Connor employed, or have they ever been employed, as inspectors for the Builders Registration Board of Western Australia or Building Disputes Tribunal; and, if so, for what period? (2) Have Mr Knowles or Mr O’Connor been engaged in some other capacity - for example, as occasional consultants - to act as inspectors by the Builders Registration Board or Building Disputes Tribunal; and, if so, for what period and for what cases? (3) Are BRB inspectors who are not employees also bound by the code of conduct tabled in the House on 10 December 2003? (4) Has the minister or the chairman of the Building Disputes Tribunal received any complaint of conflict of interest in respect of complaints Nos 4638 and 4639 - 6 and 8 Oxburgh Link, Success; and, if so, what action is being taken to address the question of perceived conflict of interest in this matter? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(2) Have Mr Knowles or Mr O’Connor been engaged in some other capacity - for example, as occasional consultants - to act as inspectors by the Builders Registration Board or Building Disputes Tribunal; and, if so, for what period and for what cases? (3) Are BRB inspectors who are not employees also bound by the code of conduct tabled in the House on 10 December 2003? (4) Has the minister or the chairman of the Building Disputes Tribunal received any complaint of conflict of interest in respect of complaints Nos 4638 and 4639 - 6 and 8 Oxburgh Link, Success; and, if so, what action is being taken to address the question of perceived conflict of interest in this matter? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(3) Are BRB inspectors who are not employees also bound by the code of conduct tabled in the House on 10 December 2003? (4) Has the minister or the chairman of the Building Disputes Tribunal received any complaint of conflict of interest in respect of complaints Nos 4638 and 4639 - 6 and 8 Oxburgh Link, Success; and, if so, what action is being taken to address the question of perceived conflict of interest in this matter? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(4) Has the minister or the chairman of the Building Disputes Tribunal received any complaint of conflict of interest in respect of complaints Nos 4638 and 4639 - 6 and 8 Oxburgh Link, Success; and, if so, what action is being taken to address the question of perceived conflict of interest in this matter? Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied : (1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(1) Mr Barry Knowles has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately eight years. Mr John O’Connor has been contracted by the Builders Registration Board as a consultant inspector over a period of approximately 10 years. (2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(2) Yes. Mr Knowles and Mr O’Connor were contracted by the Builders Registration Board as consultants to carry out general building inspections over a period of three months. These contracts were not for the purpose of any particular inspections. (3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(3) BRB inspectors who are not employees of the board are bound by the code of conduct when they are contracted to perform a consultant service for the board. (4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.
(4) Yes. Two complaints have been received. The first complaint was made on 12 November 2003 and was responded to by the registrar of the Builders Registration Board on 17 November 2003. The second complaint was made on 8 December 2003 and will be brought to the attention of the presiding member of the Building Disputes Tribunal on 12 December 2003.

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