Engineering

This bill overhauls Queensland's building industry payment protections by replacing project bank accounts with a new statutory trust system that holds subcontractor money in trust. It also cracks down on fraudulent behaviour in the industry, introduces a demerit point system for building certifiers, strengthens regulation of architects and engineers, and preserves review rights for retirement village transition plans.

This bill modernises Queensland's building and plumbing laws across several areas. It strengthens homeowners' rights to install solar panels and hot water systems free from aesthetic-based restrictions by developers and body corporates, expands permissible uses of treated greywater in large buildings, allows holding tanks for sewage and greywater under local government permits, and improves the QBCC's regulatory and enforcement powers.

This bill clarifies and simplifies Queensland's security of payment framework for the building and construction industry, which protects subcontractors from late or non-payment through project trust accounts and retention trust accounts. It also implements governance reforms for the QBCC and makes minor improvements to licensing and regulatory processes across six Acts.