Fighting For Subbies Rights
What does your QBCC license do for you? It allows you to operate your business in the Queensland Building and Construction Industry, fantastic!
Even those manufacturers and suppliers who don't need a license are subject to the rorts in the industry overseen by the industry regulator the QBCC. Its a privilege, what is a privilege?
A privilege is a;
- special right
- an advantage
- or immunity granted.
So where is the immunity from being defrauded, swindled and cheated out of your hard earned money?
The QBCC wonders why we are upset and offended when we complain to the licensing body about being defrauded.
Subbies feel the regulatory body takes our money and provides little or no protection in return. I would like a dollar for every time I have been told "they are a toothless tiger", I would be retired and living in my holiday home on the French Riviera.
Abuse of staff
Its commendable to protect your staff from abuse and while we don't condone the abuse of anyone's staff, under the circumstances, you can understand the sheer frustration subcontractors feel when they are getting 
every day with the perception that the QBCC are doing little or nothing to stop the crimewave. They are a secretive organisation who rarely comment because it is an "operational matter". If that's because of the QBCC Act, then the Act needs to be changed and fast.
When are licensees who pay good money for the somewhat dubious privilege, going to get some transparency and justice?
Did many of you licensees get this?
After reading this on the weekend, a retired friend said "what a joke, I am no longer licensed and thank god for that".
In the above warning, you say "evidence of abuse will be referred to the Queensland Police service for further action" and rightfully so if the abuse is that bad but that then leads to a question of possible double standards.
When was the last time the QBCC referred evidence of a building company directors fraudulent activity to the Queensland Police for investigation with the view to charges being laid?
We assume ASIC is the first port of call but we don't see too many building company directors in gaol for fraud. What we do see is hundreds of millions of dollars of subbies money go missing.
On the other hand, if Joe Blo embezzles 20k from his employer, he or she is locked up for a long time.
Subbies Message
QBCC, instead of trying to suppress the message, you need to be listening to the message and acting on it.
Instead of attempting to avoid what people have to say and how they say it, you should be taking notes of what people are saying and how passionate they are about what they are saying so that you can report back to the Government on the shape the industry is in so that further reform can be undertaken. We all know how badly it's needed with the exception of you.
We are all Australians, it is our National Obligation to be extremely upset when we are continually ripped off and the regulator does nothing other that get offended. Surely this warning would be an abuse of their position? Does it contravene their statutory power?
QBCC how about looking at the big picture? Take this one for example. Read the last paragraph of page 1 of Worrells CKP Report to Creditors.
Being the "sole employee" of a building company with a 3 million license capacity would lead one to assume that the person in question would be carrying out the duties of;
- Contracts Administrator
- Sales Manager
- Site Supervision
- Construction Manager
- Purchasing Officer
- Accounts Receivable
- Accounts Payable
And all the other duties of a "sole employee" running a construction company.
This sole employee is an excluded person, read the first paragraph of page 2 of Worrells report.
Question for the QBCC Commissioner
Sir, the question has to be asked, how does an excluded person who cannot be an "influential person" for a QBCC licensed building company, then be allowed to be an influential person for a QBCC licensed building company? Where is the honesty and integrity you talk about?
Is this QBCC excluded person a fit and proper person to be the "sole employee" of a licensed construction company? The only word missing is PHOENIX!!!!
A hypothetical question, what is worse, someone who gets a bit hot under the collar on the phone when he is ripped off for hundreds of thousands of dollars and can't get any help, or someone who is excluded who did the ripping off and is allowed to be an influential person in a building company?
Did the QBCC send this behavioural reminder to the creditors of CKP Constructions who will be lucky if they ever see a cent of the money liquidated away?
These fit and proper people get away with blue murder everyday of the week.
How about the QBCC assess the "fitness and propriety of standards" with some of the shonks out there who are ripping subbies off on a daily basis?
Its all very well to rake in 35 million in licence fees but then ignore the protection and rights of subcontractors to protect your Home Warranty Insurance.
Talking about "appropriate standards" is somewhat laughable, that is what I would call, double standards. It's time the QBCC practiced what it preaches, time to stop bullying subbies and start regulating shonky builders.