Reform of Building Regulation

CONTENTS

Preliminaries
Cover, Copyright, Terms of reference, Contents, Abbreviations and explanations, Overview, Findings and recommendations

1 Introduction
1.1 Scope of the study
1.2 Conduct of the study
1.3 Previous reviews
1.4 Problems and issues
1.5 Structure of the report

2 Legal framework, the ABCB and the BCA
2.1 Regulation of the building process
2.2 Role of State and Territory Governments
2.3 Role of Local Governments
2.4 Role of the Australian Government
2.5 ABCB
2.6 BCA

3 Assessment criteria
3.1 Background
3.2 Rationale for government intervention
3.3 Effectiveness
3.4 Efficiency
3.5 Research and information provision
3.6 National consistency
3.7 Good regulation and regulatory governance

4 Impact of reforms
4.1 State of the industry
4.2 Building industry productivity
4.3 Sources of productivity change
4.4 Impact on economic efficiency

5 Building Code of Australia
5.1 Are the IGA objectives appropriate?
5.2 Assessing the ABCB’s performance in meeting IGA objectives

6 Code coverage
6.1 Non-BCA mandatory requirements impacting on building
6.2 Access for people with disabilities
6.3 Plumbing and gas installation
6.4 Electrical installation and telecommunications
6.5 Occupational health and safety
6.6 Sustainability and the environment
6.7 Property protection from fire
6.8 Local Government requirements on building

7 Regulatory systems: compliance and delivering outcomes
7.1 Administrative systems - history and issues
7.2 Training
7.3 Practitioner licensing, accreditation and audit
7.4 Insurance
7.5 Building approvals, inspections and occupancy approvals
7.6 Enforcement and dispute resolution
7.7 Maintenance
7.8 Regulatory systems - national consistency?
7.9 Future role of the ABCB

8 Code making processes and access
8.1 Regulation making: the Code and standards
8.2 Accessing the Code

9 Other activities of the Board
9.1 Research
9.2 Raising awareness of the Code
9.3 Use of guidelines
9.4 National product certification
9.5 International cooperation and collaboration

10 Governance issues
10.1 Issues raised
10.2 Involvement of the Australian Government
10.3 Composition of the ABCB and committees
10.4 ABCB funding
10.5 Commitment to national consistency
10.6 Authority of the decision-making body
10.7 Independence of the decision-making body and the secretariat

11 Assessment and new IGA
11.1 Past performance
11.2 Revised mission statement
11.3 Revised objectives
11.4 Future work agenda
11.5 Support functions
11.6 New IGA

A Submissions and meetings

B Inter Government Agreement

C ABCB Membership

D BCA Objectives

E Building industry

F Survey results and methodology

G State & Territory regulatory systems for building

References