A blitz of 451 active building sites in Brisbane by Queensland’s building industry regulator has uncovered 24 suspected unlicensed workers.
Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) officers checked the licences of more than 1500 contractors on Brisbane building sites in the first week of a month-long Statewide crackdown.
QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says during the three-day blitz, officers looked at everything from home renovation projects to new builds.
“Pleasingly, the results show us that the majority of people on work sites are licensed and doing a great job,” Commissioner Levy says.
“However, those 24 people who are suspected of performing unlicensed work are now subject to continuing investigations which could result in potential prosecution.
“We are also investigating a number of other individuals who committed minor offences, and we intend to issue them with warnings or educational letters.”
The Brisbane blitz is part of a Statewide audit throughout October to help stamp out unlicensed, illegal and defective work.
Commissioner Levy says unlicensed contracting and improper use of a licence were among the five most common offences investigated by QBCC officers in the last financial year.
“During 2022-2023, the QBCC investigated 735 people for unlicensed contracting and 204 people were investigated for improper use of a licence,” Commissioner Levy says.
“The QBCC has zero tolerance for these illegal activities and there are significant penalties for anyone caught acting unlawfully.
“One of the reasons we take a tough stance is to protect home owners and workers on construction sites. By proactively identifying and preventing unlawful activity, we are helping to keep everyone safe.
“It also ensures there is a level playing field for our licensed contractors who are doing the right thing by obtaining qualifications and experience and providing the QBCC with evidence of their financial stability each year.”
