Some of the important outcomes that arose from the audit are explained under the following key themes. The Building Control Commission and the related statutory bodies are a dynamic group that undertakes building control activities in accordance with legislative requirements. The success of the Commission in implementing a completely new regulatory regime warrants significant recognition. The Commission's research projects have been instrumental in changing legislation, construction techniques and practices and, according to the Commission, have led to substantial savings to the building industry and community. The potential ramifications of the key findings contained in the Report mean it is not clear whether the most suitable arrangements have been established with regard to some elements of the building control system.
Examples relate to practitioner registration, complaint investigation and auditing processes.
Many of the weaknesses are systemic in nature but are either permitted by, or not covered by, the legislation. As such, there is a risk that unsuitable practitioners have been allowed to operate in the building industry. The Building Practitioners Board needs to assess the competence of practitioners in high-risk categories on a progressive basis. In consultation with relevant industry and tertiary institutions, the Board needs to develop and periodically update minimum standards for professional development within high-risk categories. Complaint investigations Strategies to manage the complaint workload at the Building Control Commission were not robust enough to ensure the increasing number of complaints were dealt with in a timely manner.