Master Builders Industry Luncheons are held twice annually, and provide Master Builder ACT members with a unique, intimate forum, to hear about topical industry issues and ask questions of key industry speakers.
The 2024 Industry luncheons will be
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…a competent person, such as an occupational hygienist, and the report prepared must be readily available to workers and retained for 30 years. Once a baseline has been established, air monitoring should be undertaken at least every 12 months, or…
…or special condition, might then also be included into your contract to allow for some additional scope to undertake certain works to the existing structure (where necessary) so that you can complete your scope of works.
One example…
…by an employee who will be covered by a proposed agreement, or the bargaining representative.
Common requirements for industrial action to be protected:
The industrial action has been approved by the Fair Work Commission after a successful ballot. The…
Changes made to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (‘FWA’) under the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Act 2022 and Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Protecting Worker Entitlements) Bill 2023 (PWE Act) have now come into effect.
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…carrying out the work by checking the contract in the first instance in determining whether work constitutes a variation. If it is a variation, make sure to comply with the variation clause to serve any variation notices. Failure to comply…
…work activity and a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) must be developed, in consultation with affected workers and other duty holders, and communicated prior to commencing the high-risk activity.
For further information on WHS Legislation and obligations, register for…
Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman, has demonstrated last week that he is prepared to use the call-in powers under the Planning and Development Act 2007 to deliver on a four year old ACT Labor election commitment.
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Penalties handed down to a Victorian electrical company serves as a reminder of what is considered as the correct level of supervision for Apprentices.
In this case the Victorian company was found to be in breach of s21
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Have you increased your rates of pay? Do you provide other benefits to employees, such as a company vehicle? When was the last time you checked your employment contracts?
Following the rate changes from 1
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The 2022 CITC Outstanding Graduating Apprentice & Industry Encouragement Awards were held today, with MBA trained apprentice, Josef Wilson winning the major title of Outstanding Apprentice of the Year.
MBA Carpentry Trainer, Malcolm Beer, commends Josef’s fantastic work
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…being complied with and may result in disciplinary action and/or fines being issued for non-compliance.
If you have not booked your training, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible by enrolling online or speaking with our…
…for opportunities in industries like ours which has a strong track record of providing jobs on completion of skills training.
A copy of the Treasurer’s economic and fiscal update can be found here.
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…you simply don’t want to use a review or testimonial function, you may choose to disable this option (depending on site).
Click here to read more about managing online reviews on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) website
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…a company’s compliance with its duties to eliminate or minimise as far as is reasonably practicable psychosocial risks.
What is a psychosocial risk:
A psychosocial risk is defined as a risk to the health or safety of a…
…how does an employer determine what is a reasonable request to work and a reasonable refusal to work on a public holiday. Unfortunately, there is no conclusive answer to this, however, there are certain factors that the Fair Work Commission…
…date. New directors have 30 days from the day that they are appointed to take necessary action (placing the company into voluntary administration or liquidation) to avoid becoming personally liable.
You can read more about Director Penalty Notices here.
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…former employee making an unfair dismissal claim is increased where it can be found that the termination of employment was harsh, unjust or unreasonable.
An employee can make a claim for unfair dismissal with the Fair Work Commission (FWC)…
…complied with and may result in disciplinary action or fines if a PCBU is found to be non-compliant.
If you have not booked your training, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.
If you are…
…is to create 1 million new homes over the five-year period starting in 2024. By signing up to the Accord, state, territory and local governments have committed to expedite zoning, planning and land release in a way which lowers the…
The Department of Defence has been charged with three work health and safety (WHS) breaches after a worker committed suicide while on duty on 28 July 2022. The three charges consist of one Category 2 offence (carrying a maximum
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…and subcontracts the electrical work to an electrical contractor, who is responsible for completing the majority of the electrical work as outlined in the contract for a specified total sum. The electrical contractor has the commercial risk and legal responsibility…
…required to be forwarded to the Registrar to ensure their compliance with SLJC requirements throughout the project duration.
Furthermore, as certificate holders, you bear the responsibility of ensuring that any subcontractor you engage complies with the SLJC standards pertaining…
Access Canberra inspectors have the power to conduct inspections including for the purpose of checking compliance with legislative requirements and standards. This is a timely reminder that, under section 28(d) of the Constructions Occupation (Licencing) Act 2004 (ACT) it
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This week MBA Australia held a round of important committee meetings to discuss the state of the industry, the current economic settings and critical skills shortages. As part of these meetings we meet with Productivity Commission Commissioner, Malcolm Roberts,
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…before carrying out the work by checking the contract in the first instance in determining whether work constitutes a variation. If it’s a variation, make sure to comply with the variation clause to serve any variation notices. Failure to comply…
…the way.
8. Do you do any work in the community/volunteer?
Since arriving in Canberra I have had the opportunity to partake in community events such as sausage sizzler days with all proceeds going to local schools for…
Master Builders ACT can assist its Members with all steps of the enterprise agreement approval process. This is a complimentary service provided to members.
In addition to assisting you with the process, Master Builders ACT can also represent
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ACT WorkSafe response to the Boland Review released yesterday, 16 March 2023.
In March 2022, ACT WHS Commissioner, Jacqueline Agius, engaged Marie Boland to undertake a review of the current legislative, policy and operational framework used in the
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…PCBUs can call WorkSafe ACT on 13 22 81, after hours on 0419 120 028 or email at worksafe@worksafe.act.gov.au to notify an incident. Notification can also be made using the online form available on the WorkSafe ACT website.
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…the ACT’s budget relied on 57.7% of the total tax revenue coming from property-related taxes. This share has increased from 50.7% over ten years.”
Mr Hopkins said, “Over the March 2023 quarter alone ABS figures show residential building has…
It is common in the building and construction industry that employees are required to work additional hours. The Fair Work Act (the FW Act) provides that an employer must not request or require a full-time employee to work more
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…classified) will be reduced from 5 mg/m3 to 1 mg/m3. This change is to come into effect in the ACT from 1 October 2024.
Welding processes are common across many industries, including construction and manufacturing. Workers who are exposed…
…written and verbal instruction Basic numeracy skills Language, Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) assessment (attached) to be completed prior to confirmation of your enrolment
CONTENT WHS Legislation (Acts, Regulations and Duty of Care) Application of Australian Standards and National Standards Personal…
…performance, it would be recommended that the following satisfied:
the employee has been provided with substantive and procedural fairness where applicable any performance management plans and relevant workplace policies have been complied with written communication/warning has been provided to the…
…ACT Commissioner, Jacqueline Agius has warned industry through the media, that notices and fines will be issued to anyone who disregards safety standards and has recommended that the residential sector “lifts its game and improve health and safety standards for…
This week is National Apprenticeship Week and it’s a great time to acknowledge the apprentices, employers, trainers and RTO support staff who make training at MBA so successful. At MBA Group Training we have a completion rate above 90%
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…aspects of the bill have passed Parliament, while others will be dealt with in the new year.
The date that these changes commence are staggered, with most of the provisions coming into effect on 15 December 2023.
From…
Members have been busy reaching out to our MBA Workplace Relations and Legal team with some great questions about employment contracts, Award coverage, leave loading and travel entitlements.
Read the team’s response to some common queries below…
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When do I need to have my Silica Training completed?
Before 1 October 2023. This means everyone who walks on site on 1 October 2023 will need to have completed their Silica Training. There is currently no
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…2011 (the Act) it is likely that you are required to consult, in writing, with an eligible union.
Matters in which you may be required to consult on
The number and composition of workgroups to be represented by health…
From 6 December 2023, a number of changes are coming into effect to regulate the use of Fixed Term Employment Contracts.
What is a Fixed Term Employment Contract
This is a contract which terminates at the end
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…down the path of disciplinary action.
Behavioural Issue
Behavioural issue or misconduct is conduct that is generally unacceptable, or contrary to the employee’s employment contract or a breach of the company’s policies and or procedures. Misconduct can include,…
Although employee probation is not prescribed under the Fair Work Act, it is commonly used in an employment contract. The length of probation generally is between three months and six months, starting from the commencement of employment. A probationary
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…it has prompted many questions by our members about what this announcement means for building projects in planning or about to commence.
The following FAQs address some of our members initial questions.
When will new suburbs…
…profits. The nature of the lump sum contract is that the builder will complete the contract works for the sum stipulated in the contract and bear the risk of underquoting or losing out on profits. An advantage of using a…
…deferred payment scheme is made by 30 June 2021 and construction commences by 30 September 2021.
This advocacy win comes after a joint effort by Master Builders ACT and the Property Council of Australia to secure an…
…if the principal contractor does not comply with the requirement to consult.
To access the approved form – Notice of Requirement to Consult click here.
To find a list of eligible unions and their contact details click here.
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Earlier this week, the Fair Work Commission delivered a provisional judgment that 10 days’ paid Family and Domestic Violence leave should be included in each modern Award.
This is not yet finalised, and there are ongoing opportunities for
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…program has four main components:
$776 million over five years on new capital works (2021-22: $219.7m; 2022-23: $249m). $404 million over five years on the Better Infrastructure Fund. $2.3 billion over five years works in progress for projects that commenced…
The risk of falling from heights has been identified by WorkSafe ACT as a common and continuous problem on construction sites in the ACT. The failure to address this risk will be at the peril of the builder since
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…and your employees are covered by a Zombie EA you can find a list of these agreements published by the Fair Works Commission here.
When will my Zombie EA terminate?
All Zombie EA’s will automatically terminate on 7 December…
…who will be carrying out the work before work commences which specifies:
the high risk construction work that needs to be carried out in a workplace; the hazards that may potentially arise from carrying out high risk construction work and…
Persons found to be competent in this unit should be able to effectively fell most trees except for the very large and those that have significant defects and/or characteristics causing excessive complexity. It provides detailed instruction on how to
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On Tuesday the ACT Government released the draft Territory Plan, District Strategies and Technical Specifications for comment.
Submissions can be made by 14 February 2023.
The Government claim that the new Territory Plan will deliver an ‘outcomes-focussed’
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…policies and procedures. Consultation with all stakeholders. Management of incidents. Participation in construction site safety committees. Conducting WHS inspections and safety walks on construction sites. Writing SWMSs and conducting thorough risk assessments.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Date: See training
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…than 3 consecutive months or less than 3 months in total over the last 12 months, or where an employee is on paid personal leave for the duration of the absence.
The period the employee is on workers’ compensation
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…supplier on the Register, you can access the application form here.
Click here for further details about the scheme.
Click here to view the grant guidelines.
For all questions about about the Private Buildings Cladding Scheme please…
…as significantly impacted but still declined 9.4% on the previous quarter and 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the September 2021 quarter, engineering construction fell by 31.7% and 10.9% compared to the same quarter last year.
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…workforce capable of delivering the region’s long-term infrastructure projects which will help maximize the benefits to the local economy.”
The MBA looks forward to the completion of infrastructure plan and encourages the Federal Government to commit a greater share…
…size and condition including hollow butts, multi-leggers, heavy leaners, double or multiple leaders, stags/culls and very large trees. NOTE that participants should already be competent and experienced tree fallers at the intermediate level.
This program is delivered…
Thousands of Canberrans can now be sure that they will receive HomeBuilder grants with the Federal Government’s extension of the construction start date announced on Saturday.
Michael Hopkins, CEO of Master Builders ACT said, “The scale of the
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…aware of their obligations under the Code and to administer these accordingly.
To view the current version of the relevant Codes, click on the links below:
…to 70% of the course cost may be refundable to eligible applicants through the ACT Building and Construction Industry Training Fund. MBA Group Training will apply for this refund on your behalf on successful completion of the course. * Cost…
Starting August 26, 2024, the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) will undergo changes affecting the conversion of casual employment to permanent positions. These changes are part of the ‘Closing Loopholes’ law and will alter employers’ responsibilities and employees’ rights.
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…here. Please complete the survey by 7 October 2022.
For more information on the ACT Government’s Better Regulation Agenda and the work of the Better Regulation Taskforce, visit the Better Regulation Taskforce at www.cmtedd.act.gov.au/policystrategic/better-regulation-taskforce or contact BetterRegulationTaskforce@act.gov.au.
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…other environmental issues including noise, air emissions, waste management, land contamination, biodiversity and climate change.
The draft Guidelines are available for comment at www.environment.gov.au/epguidelines. Feedback can be provided to the MBA via canberra@mba.org.au or sent directly to environmentprotectionpolicy@act.gov.au
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