Fighting for subbies rights
MASTER Builders Qld don't want a bar of project bank accounts (PBA's).
It's my job to clearly demonstrate to all the subbies out there why this is so.
Look at the name above. What does that name convey to a subcontractor?
You are correct, they are our "MASTER" and they are "BUILDERS" so free cold Pizza courtesy of the MBA. They have plenty left over after only a few of the faithful turned up to their Pizza and Lemonade "fact night" on Monday! From all reports it was hilarious.
Their name conveys their agenda.
They demand the status quo remains. They want subcontractors to fall into line and obey their Lord and MASTER. They also want the Qld Government to fall into line and stop this nonsense about PBA's.
They packed up their pizza and shut down the meeting at the first sign of opposition to their agenda. Out of their 8000 members, only 30 turned up, yet they still waste their members money on a massive and appalling print and TV campaign against PBA's.
At this point, I need say no more but because they oppose anything that is positive for subcontractors, I will continue.
- The reasons they have given are vague and self serving at best.
- Their blatant disregard for the subcontractor small businesses who fund the industry is preposterous.
Our Masters are a gormless organisation which has pushed the agenda in the Queensland building industry for far too long. They have done a woefully inadequate job of it. The results are there for all to see.
They totally lack control of some of their members who hide our money, then liquidate the debt away with the stroke of a pen.
Soon, the 3 year bankruptcy term becomes 1 year but don't tell them because some of their members will take full advantage of it.
The myriad of recent liquidations have happened on their watch under the laws and regulations they helped orchestrate with previous governments. Since 22nd December 16 we have Cullen, CMS-Ashtay Group, Batir, Bluestone and numerous others.
Once again, the chinless cowards of the industry are attempting to do it all again, to the detriment of everyone but themselves.
MBA have jumped into bed with other peak body organisations such as the Property Council and the Civil Contractors Federation. Make no mistake, none of these organisations have the best interests of subcontractors at the forefront. If they did, they would wholeheartedly support the most positive thing that has happened to subbies in the last 50 years.
PBA's are the love child of Les Williams from Subcontractors Alliance and the Senate Committee enquiry. It has been supported by the Qld Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni. They have seen the need for it first hand and will not be swayed by these selfish organisations throwing their toys out of the cot to get their own way.
What do all these peak body organisations have in common?
- They are the big end of town.
Do you see any organisation logo in that photo that represents you?
- None of them represent subcontractors such as painters, plasterers, bricklayers, manufacturers, concreters, form workers or carpenters. In other words, they don't speak for subbies who make up the vast majority of the 85,000 subcontractors who employ upwards of 750,000 people and are the lifeblood of the building industry in this state.
Without us, the industry is nothing.
This group of shirkers don't represent subbies and subbies know it. That's why only a football team with a few reserves turned up for a laugh to their fact night because the fact is, subbies see though them and so do the Government.
- Project Bank Accounts will predominately remove the temptation for builders to illegally use our money for themselves.
- Project Bank Accounts effectively removes the kid from the lolly shop.
Question: Why do subbies replace a builder appointed liquidator?
Answer: Because the liquidator was appointed by the builder.
Question:
- Why do our Masters and their corporate mates oppose Project Bank Accounts to the point of wasting their members money on a puerile media campaign?
Answer:
- Because it's not in our MASTER'S best interests. They know PBA's are in the subbies best interests. This is the rising of the serfs of the industry and they can't have that.
View Our Masters Youtube ad below, we all need a laugh hahaha
I feel obliged to help them make fools of themselves by posting that video but I must say, they do a pretty good job of it themselves ?
Question relating to their TV advertisement:
- In their TV add, why is the actor holding the spirit level portrayed as just a dumb, easily led subcontractor or builder whose mind can be swayed by a Master Builder spiv acting like a know all school master with a few baseless, generalised questions that totally lack substance?
Answer:
- Because our Masters think the average industry participant is just a lazy, slow moving dumb yokel like the guy portrayed in the add.
Question:
- On what facts do our Masters base their statement that PBA's will make payment terms longer?
Answer:
- I will give you some facts to blow that unadulterated BS out of the water.
- Our company is currently working on a PBA job where we invoice every 15 days and are paid 7 days later.
- That is effectively, payment 22 days after we start the period and 7 days after the end of the period.
- In the past, on the same job for a different builder who is now in limbo, we invoiced at the end of the month, payment was then due 25 business days later but it was rarely on time so it became 35 business days later.
- That was effectively payment 80 days after the beginning of the period and 46 to 50 days after the end of the period.
We have the money in our account 58 days earlier than it used to be on the same job and the funds are guaranteed to be there because it comes from a trust account. The benefits of that early payment is felt all the way down the line.
WHICH SYSTEM WOULD YOU PREFER? Of course you would, PBA's are unparalleled in their value to subbies.
Question:
- Masters say PBA's will restrict cashflow. On what do they base that assertion?
Answer:
- They know their builders will no longer have the claims due to subbies to use at will, as their very own interest free cashflow so what they say is true to some extent. It will restrict builders cashflow or at least dishonest builders. The good builders will continue on as normal, funding their projects out of their own cashflow.
- On the other hand, it will be an enormous boost to subcontractors cashflow because payment is assured through trust account backed PBA's and delivered weeks earlier.
Question:
- What is the basis for Masters saying "your business could still be exposed?"
Answer:
- Not half as exposed as it is under the current system, where builders can hold back payment on a whim and use subbies money to build their own developments as was the case with CMS - Ashtay recently, then liquidate the company with the debt owed to subbies.
It's laughable when they say PBA's will make payment terms longer. For Gawd's sake Masters, PBA's have cut our payment times by almost 80%. We love it and the financial security and peace of mind it gives us!
Give it up Master Builders, we see though your unconscionable bias.
Master Plumbers Association Joint Media Release
Now here's a "Masters" organisation that actually knows what it's doing and cares about its members along with the National Fire Industry Association and the Mechanical Contractors Association.
I cannot begin to tell you how many plumbers I have talked to lately who have been shafted by Master Builders Association members in the past 4 months when rogue MBA members have liquidated their debts away.
Only a few weeks ago I worked with a plumber who was in the hole for $300,000 when yet another Master Builders member liquidated his company to steal subbies money. He owed subbies in excess of 3 million dollars.
That so called Master Builder has done this before, he is the lowest of the low.
Now he is a permanently excluded person but it's too late for that Plumber and all the other victims of his fraud. Master Builder my arse, more like Master Conman.
If Project Bank Accounts were in place 6 months ago, this cretinous Master Builder would not have had access to subbies money.
If you think I'm being unfair on some poor builder who fell on hard times, you don't know what I know about this scumbag and the lengths he went to in his endeavour to steal from hard working subcontractors and suppliers.
The fool even bragged about his new Phoenix company and good thing he did because his big mouth allowed us to get it shut down. So get real Master Builders, stop talking your self serving garbage and get with the program or saving this industry.
