Sandy continues to advocate for improvements to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC)’s processes including in her speech on the Building Industry Fairness Bill.

After the 2024 State Election, Sandy provided the Minister for Housing an outline of experiences of residents, who have contacted us, including the below issues:

  • Long wait times for inspections.
  • Escalation inefficiencies.
  • Works not covered by the QBCC.
  • Lack of consequences for works not being remedied.

Following this, the minister has provided the below information in italics as a response. In summary, it outlines the implementation of many new initiatives and improvements to the wait times. With clarifications needed on how the other three are being addressed, we have requested from the minister’s office and will update once a response has been received.

The Queensland Government is setting a new direction for the QBCC to ensure it is more responsive and customer-focused for both licensees and consumers. Three experienced reformers have been appointed to key leadership roles to drive this transformation:

  • Mr Angelo Lambrinos has been appointed the new Commissioner. He is a registered engineer with more than 25 years’ experience across the industry, leading large-scale transformation and reform across major infrastructure, corporate and operational portfolios. He brings to his new position a rare combination of technical depth, financial acumen and visionary leadership.
  • Mr Greg Chemello, a widely respected reform leader and former CEO of Economic Development Queensland, is now chair of the Queensland Building and Construction Board.
  • Ms Amelia Hodge fills a board vacancy, bringing expertise from her senior roles at the Australian Property Institute and the Queensland Law Society.

Together with the board and senior leadership, they will steer the QBCC through a multi-year program to improve its regulatory performance and customer service.

Initiatives to uplift responsiveness and improve the customer experience are already underway:

  • The QBCC is implementing a Customer Experience Strategy.
  • There is a new Compliance and Enforcement Strategy; it focuses on areas where regulatory efforts can make the greatest impact, and prioritises resources to address non­ compliance issues based on their potential harm to the industry and community.
  • Refreshed website content will guide home owners through the building and renovation process-from start to finish-and give clearer guidance on navigating building disputes.

Licensing information has been made more accessible through an online search tool that details which licence classes apply to various types of work. The QBCC’s Contact Centre and licensing specialists remain available to assist with more complex enquiries, either by phone or in person.

On licensing scope, I acknowledge the confusion some constituents experience. The QBCC administers around 80 current licence classes and a number of historical ones, each with its own scope of work and, in some cases, conditions. A person performing work outside their licensed scope may be committing an offence and should be reported to the QBCC for investigation.

With respect to inspection wait times, the QBCC’s Building Inspection Wait Time Reduction Program has significantly reduced delays. As at 30 April 2025, the statewide average wait is now 9 weeks, down from 20 weeks in mid-2023.

For the Sunshine Coast region, the average wait has fallen 70 per cent-from 24 to 7 weeks over the same period. This reflects investment in additional inspectors, new scheduling processes, and the Modernising Field Services project, enabling inspectors to access information using digital devices when undertaking inspections.

I am advised that, in recent years, inspection delays have been influenced by pandemic impacts, increased levels of activity in the construction sector, and adverse weather events like Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Unfortunately, in some cases, inspections have been delayed due to incomplete information or an inability to access a site. Where serious safety concerns are identified, inspections can be expedited and given priority.

The QBCC’s new statewide operating model allows inspectors to be reallocated to higher­ demand areas. This flexibility is bringing service levels into line with community expectations.

Regarding dispute resolution, I note your suggestions about escalation pathways. The QBCC’s early dispute resolution (EDR) process is designed to provide a no-cost service, while a contract is still on foot, to resolve matters amicably before they escalate. Where agreement between a home owner and a contractor cannot be reached, the EDR case is closed and the parties are notified. In these circumstances, a direction to rectify is not generally issued as the contract remains active and the contractor still has the opportunity to address the disputed matters. The QBCC is also piloting a mediation and conciliation service to provide alternative and efficient dispute resolution; it has already proven effective in suitable cases.

Further reform for the QBCC is ahead, including through the Building Reg Reno and the forthcoming Productivity Commission review into Queensland’s construction sector. The QBCC will engage fully with these processes.

Sandy will continue to update as new information becomes available and would welcome any feedback on the QBCC from Noosa state electorate residents via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au.

We also note that the QBCC will engage fully with the Productivity Commission review into the Queensland’s construction sector, which Sandy has also lodged a submission to. For information on this Inquiry and to lodge your own submission, please visit www.qpc.qld.gov.au/content/inquiries/construction-productivity.html.

As mentioned in our February 2021 Noosa 360 update, It is vitally important that anyone that feels aggrieved by a decision of the QBCC, pursue their appeal rights under the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991, or make a complaint to the QLD Ombudsman. Whilst our office will continue to assist and call for improvements, we also need residents to lodge appeals and make complaints through every available official channel, as these statistics are used to gauge performance and the need for any reviews.

Further information

Direct advocacy can be emailed to the Minister for Housing via housing@ministerial.qld.gov.au. Please copy our office in via noosa@parliament.qld.gov.au and forward us any response you receive.

Our previous Noosa 360 update on this matter is available at www.sandybolton.com/qbcc-update-processes-february-2021.

Updates on many local matters are available on Noosa 360 at www.sandybolton.com/noosa360. To receive information straight to your email inbox, please subscribe to our monthly newsletter via www.sandybolton.com/newsletters. This also ensures you receive any future Noosa related surveys or polls.