Updating our petition - and retiring the old one, signed by 1,396 trailblazers!

Dear Supporters, 

Nearing three years away from home, with no solution in sight - we've updated our petition to better reflect our current situation. This referesh is especially timely given the increased media attention and scrutiny now on Metricon Homes. 

Please refer here for the new petition details. 

Below you can find the original petition. 

 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Original Petition - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Reform the Class 1 building industry, nationwide - NOW!

The Construction Industry produces approximately 9% of Australia’s GDP. It is important it terms of the economy, jobs (employing over 1.1 million people) and providing requisite services required by all Australians.

Whilst there has been considerable scrutiny over multi-unit dwellings due to questions raised with the Grenfell Tower fire, Opal Tower, Mascot Towers, etc; Class 1 buildings (i.e. single dwelling being a detached house, or one or more attached dwellings) have evaded appropriate scrutiny even though business has been booming, off the back of State and Federal Government support (predominantly from HomeBuilder and other government incentives). It needs to be iterated that the detached home building market makes up to ~80% of housing activity, not including renovations. 

However, as recently highlighted by:

• my families personal and harrowing story (ABC Story and in NSW Parliament),
• the collapse of recent builders ; and
• the rising of costs and irregularities of how these costs are passed onto consumers (AFR and the Urban Developer )

the system has generally been deregulated to such an extent, that for when things go wrong, appropriate safeguards are either not in place or those tasked with the job of implementing these safeguards (including regulators and certifiers) are found wanting. 

For this to have been highlighted to exist at the highest echelon of the industry, in our personal experience, at the hands of Metricon (Australia’s largest builder in 20/21 for a sixth year running, reporting 6,052 starts) and in NSW (Australia’s most populous state), then what hope do Aussies have fighting for justice and fair and equitable outcomes? 

We urgently seek parliamentary inquiries into Class 1 builds to occur nationwide, in each state and territory, because too many consumers have found themselves in situations in which they cannot escape. Too many people have suffered (including their mental health and well-being) chasing their great Australian dream. 

Items that require immediate investigation, include but are not limited to the below:

1. number and nature of consumer complaints,
2. powers availed and performance of consumer watchdogs,
3. the differences in state and territory resolution processes (e.g. Commissions or lack thereof),
4. number of building matters that escalate beyond the above processes (e.g. go through to respective Tribunals or other court systems),
5. consumer outcomes as a result of the above,
6. unconscionable conduct by rogue market operators (including engineers, certifiers and sub-contractors),
7. ensuring that there are sufficient penalties and consequences for such operators; and
8. review of building contracts standards and unfair common clauses and practices (eg liquidated damages of $30 per working day which we subject to).

Transparency of the above is all important, including free and unfettered access to thorough current and historic complaints and hearings data (which in our experience we have found is impossible to get - even after respective Gipa applications) to ensure consumers are well informed of the real and tested reputation of who they are signing contracts with. 

The above is not designed to increase red tape or inhibit business, to the contrary, with trust in the industry restored, businesses large and small can flourish - whilst unscrupulous operators will be forced to change or exit the industry altogether. 

The economy is important, yes, but people more so.

Enough is enough, we’re taking a stand and will make our collective voices heard.

Sincerely,

Salv and Melissa Barbagallo

Addressed to:

• NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns,
• Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy,
• Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington,
• Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan and Opposition Leader Mia Davies,
• South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and Opposition Leader David Speirs,\
• Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Opposition Leader Rebecca White,
• Australian Capital Territory Chief Minister Andrew Barr and Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee,
• Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles  and Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro,
• respective Ministers for Homes (or equivalent) and Shadow Ministers,
• respective Ministers for Fair Trading (or equivalent); and
  Shadow Ministers,
• respective Attorney Generals and Shadow Attorney Generals.