Proposed Building Code Sparks Confusion, Risks Olympic Project Delays in Queensland

A proposed building and construction code in Queensland, Australia, has plunged the industry into confusion, with unions warning it could delay projects crucial for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Commission of Inquiry into the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) is currently accepting submissions on the draft code, which would apply to government projects valued over $2 million.

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It has thrown the industry into confusion.

Jacqueline King, general secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions, has urged Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie to clarify the proposed changes. "It has thrown the industry into confusion," King stated, highlighting a "high risk that some of those [Olympic] projects will be pushed back if the government continues down the track that it has and causes the ongoing confusion." She has also expressed concerns in a letter to federal workplace relations minister Amanda Rishworth, noting that the proposal "conflicts with federal laws."

One of the key concerns raised by unions is a proposed ban on negotiating worker ratios, which they argue will significantly impact the training and development of apprentices. "We have a massive skill shortage here in Queensland," King emphasized, stressing the need to "continue to train Queenslanders to help build the Queensland Olympics as well as the roads, hospitals and schools that need to continue to be built."

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There is a high risk that some of those [Olympic] projects will be pushed back if the government continues down the track that it has and causes the ongoing confusion.

Conversely, Andrew Chapman, chief executive of the Queensland Major Contractors Association, expressed support for a new code, viewing it as a necessary step to restore balance and efficiency. "The construction code that's been proposed by the Commission of Inquiry will start to make sure that we can remove a lot of these really dictated fixed conditions to make them far more flexible," Chapman said. He believes the code will provide a baseline for "safe, productive approaches to work that are fair and reasonable and include relevant conditions that are focused on productivity and safety," and does not anticipate it causing project delays.

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We have a massive skill shortage here in Queensland.

In response, a statement from Mr. Bleijie's office affirmed the government's commitment to "restoring safety and productivity on Queensland job sites."

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The construction code that's been proposed by the Commission of Inquiry will start to make sure that we can remove a lot of these really dictated fixed conditions to make them far more flexible.