Revised Fair and Lawful Building Sites Code released

The Government has today announced a revised advance release of the Fair and Lawful Building Sites Code 2014.

Minister for Employment Senator Eric Abetz said the new Code is absolutely vital in ensuring that taxpayer-funded construction projects are not only built productively, on time, without waste and on budget, but that this is achieved in a safe manner and only by companies that strictly comply with the law.

“If Government-funded projects are delivered on time and on budget, the Government can invest in more public infrastructure, which means more jobs for workers, better public infrastructure, more services and a bigger return to taxpayers for their investment,” Senator Abetz said.

“Compliance with the Code will be a condition of any new Commonwealth funding to the States for major infrastructure projects.

“States which do not agree to apply the Code to such projects will not receive funding.

“Victorian voters should be in no doubt this Saturday – Labor’s policy to oppose the Code means that Daniel Andrews will deny their State $7.6 billion in new infrastructure funding.”

The revised Code has been strengthened and enhanced in response to further feedback from stakeholders, including unions and employers.

For example, unions were uncertain about whether the requirements of the Building Code apply to variations of enterprise agreements.

The Code now makes it clear that it does apply to variations of these instruments.

Other improvements to the Code clarify that contractors must strictly comply with immigration laws and visa requirements or lose the ability to do Commonwealth Government-funded work.

The Fair and Lawful Building Sites Code will come into effect and apply to all Commonwealth Government-funded construction following the passage of the legislation to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

Further information on the Department’s interim assessment service can be accessed at www.employment.gov.au/building-code

Note: a copy of the Fair and Lawful Building Sites Code 2014 is attached.