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“Builders need fair notice. New South Wales has already committed to introducing the agreed transition arrangements, but we are concerned that Queensland won’t honour the national position,” said HIA Deputy Executive Director for Queensland Paul Leven.
“The agreed transition allows a period of six months after the ban takes place on 1 July 2024 for pre-existing contracts to be fulfilled, which is a sensible and pragmatic approach.
“There is a significant volume of new homes and apartments currently under construction and scheduled to be built over the next 1-2 years, and engineered stone has been the predominant product specified for use in kitchen and bathrooms,” Mr Leven said.
“Given current lead times in residential building – and especially in more complex buildings, including unit blocks - suppliers will be holding stock for the affected projects.
“However, there has been no announcement about the transition in Queensland, and this leaves open the question of whether there will be one. Importantly, there is also no message from the government to consumers who will need to vary their building contracts, and likely pay more to have a different product installed in their home.
“Builders, kitchen suppliers and stonemasons risk not being able to honour pre-existing contracts with one customer, while another will get the product specified in the contract, though they may only be a few kilometres apart, across the border.
“With a large amount of kitchen, bathroom and stone fabrication taking place across the border, it would be unreasonable for the industry and public in Queensland if we had a different compliance regime from New South Wales for these six months.
“The issue of working with engineered stone is one HIA takes extremely seriously and we support the need to minimise the potential exposure of workers to harmful levels of respirable crystalline silica.
“With Queensland already having extensive RCS controls in place, builders are well-placed to manage an orderly and safe phase out of engineered stone as agreed nationally,” Mr Leven said.
“Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth are seeing residential land values grow at a rapid rate, while Sydney and Melbourne’s values remain relatively stable,” stated HIA Senior Economist Matt King.
Plumbing and drainage inspections in the Huntlee and North Rothbury areas are moving from Cessnock City Council to Building Commission NSW.
The BASIX Transition period for eligible signed building contracts will end on 30 September 2024. BASIX Certificates must be generated by this date to apply the pre-1 October 2023 BASIX standards.
“As the number of new homes under construction continues to decline builders are reporting fewer difficulties scheduling skilled trades workers on their jobs, although availability of skilled workers remains worse than prior to the pandemic,” stated Geordan Murray, HIA Executive Director – Future Workforce.