2013 Master Builders Queensland Magazine Dec-Jan 2014

master builder December 2013/January 2014

And the winner is...

State & National Housing & Construction Awards winners announced

WorkCover changes a win for industry Government to stamp out right of entry abuses Tough new anti-hoon laws

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Contents

volume 51 NUMBER 3

Published by Master Builders Queensland 417 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane Queensland 4000 Phone: (07) 3225 6444 Fax: (07) 3225 6545 Email: ask@masterbuilders.asn.au www.masterbuilders.asn.au

10

17

36

Opinion 8

8

New Building Commission on its way Making our workplaces safer & fairer

Policy & advocacy 12

54

44

Employment & wages Are you ready for the silly season?

All advertising and editorial material must adhere to the Master Builders Advertising & Editorial Policy. A copy of the policy can be found at www. masterbuilders.asn.au.

30

Changes to ‘worker’ definition: six months on

31

Obligation of trust & confidence now an implied term

Privacy: Master Builders Queensland has adopted the National Privacy Principles published by the Privacy Commissioner and operates in accordance with those principles. A copy of Master Builders privacy policy can be found at www. masterbuilders.asn.au.

WorkCover changes a win for building industry

Building & planning

13

Healthy approvals underpin industry confidence

38

14

Confidence surges as election result drives improved outlook

Doors & windows onto external waterproofed areas

40

Shall we BIM?

Solid new housing starts predicted for 2013–14

Finance feature 58

Things to consider when refinancing your mortgage

59

Self-managed super funds: Keep it simple

Front cover: National Public Buildings Award $5 million to $10 million, State & North Queensland Tourism & Hospitality Facilities over $5 million – Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd, Townsville Cruise Ship Terminal

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Master Builderr is the official magazine of Master Builders Queensland. Master Builders is the peak industry association representing building and construction in Queensland since 1882. We are the voice of the industry. Our services support members to operate professional and profitable businesses that deliver superior quality outcomes to their customers.

28

Reports & statistics

16

Editor: Nicole Bence, editorial@masterbuilders.asn.au Graphic Design: Paula Trousdell, graphics@masterbuilders.asn.au Advertising: Ken Lane, Crowther Blayne Media Specialists, (07) 5553 2804, kenlane@crowtherblayne.com.au Print: Printcraft Distribution: Stand and Deliver

Disclaimer: Any advice or information included in the publication is given in good faith, but strictly on the understanding that neither Master Builders nor the Editor or any other person or organisation contributing to the publication are to incur any responsibility or legal liability whatsoever (including liability for negligence) should the advice or information be incorrect, incomplete, inappropriate or in any other way defective and all liability is therefore disclaimed. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policies of Master Builders, its officers and staff. © This publication is copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, copied, stored on a computer, published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication, or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium without prior permission from the Queensland Master Builders Association.

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Message from the Executive Director Grant Galvin – Executive Director

2013: A year of change & milestones What a year 2013 has been – for the building industry it has been a year of change and milestones. Following on from the 2012 state election, Australians once again voted for change and elected the LNP during this year’s landslide federal election.

Master Builders welcomed the election of the Abbott Government, calling on high priority for sound economic management, housing affordability, a return to sensible industrial relations policies, and the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).

During the election campaign, Mr Abbott acknowledged the central role our industry will have as we transition to a post-resources boom economy, and we called on his government to get the economy back on the right track – not just for the next three years, but for the next three decades.

I’m delighted to report that signs of confidence are already starting to emerge, with building approvals recently showing healthy increases, supporting our confident outlook for the coming 18 months. (See page 13 for a more detailed analysis of the most recent building approvals figures.)

Our relationship with the state government has also never been better. In 2012, we welcomed Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie to his first Master Builders President’s Christmas Drinks. The Attorney-General was once again present this year and I must acknowledge what he has done for our industry in 2013.

In particular, we thank him for his leadership in making what were controversial changes to WorkCover laws. The changes will significantly reduce premiums for Queensland businesses, whilst ensuring the scheme remains fully funded and sustainable and is preserved as the best workers’ compensation scheme in any state of Australia. (See page 12 for more detail on the changes to WorkCover and why they are positive for the industry.)

COMMON SENSE HAS PREVAILED AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS COMMITTED TO RESTORING THE RULE OF LAW TO AUSTRALIA’S BUILDING SITES AND CRACKING DOWN ON CORRUPTION.

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We were also pleased to welcome the Attorney-General to the 2013 Master Builders Annual Dinner and State Housing & Construction Awards, where he announced the government’s intention to stamp out right of entry abuses with proposed amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. (See page 32 for more detail on how the amendments will stop unions bringing construction sites to a halt, while ensuring legitimate safety issues are appropriately addressed by the regulator.)

Both the Attorney-General and the Hon. Tim Mander MP, Minister for Housing and Public Works, have contributed columns to this edition of Master Builder. The Attorney-General speaks of the WorkCover and workplace health and safety law changes, while Minister Mander announces the new Queensland Building and Construction Commission, that will soon replace the Building Services Authority (BSA) (see page 8).

In 2012 and throughout 2013, we have been urging the federal government to urgently address the outbreak of unlawful industrial conduct that crippled major contractors and projects in Queensland. Fortunately, common sense has prevailed and the government has committed to restoring the rule of law to Australia’s building sites and cracking down on corruption. This will bring an end to the unlawful behaviour of recent years and will ensure greater certainty and encourage new investment in Queensland.

As we move into 2014, Master Builders will continue our efforts to speak on behalf of members and the industry to ensure you are well represented as we move into what is hopefully, once again, an era of prosperity.

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President’s message Derek Pingel – President

New recruits to Life Member ranks Members are the lifeblood of Master Builders and, as the year comes to a close, I’m delighted to welcome two longstanding building and construction leaders into the Life Member ranks and thank them for their service to the industry.

Since 1882, members have been the core of everything we stand for and, during my time as President, I’ve been honoured to meet many people who have a loyalty and passion for Master Builders and the building industry that is truly remarkable. From time to time, we honour people for their service and active involvement with Master Builders.

At the recent Master Builders President’s Christmas Drinks, I had the pleasure of presenting life membership status to two industry greats – John Gaskin and Lawrie Doré – in recognition of the time and expertise they continue to devote to us and the industry in general.

John Gaskin is a well-known construction industry leader and his service to Master Builders is extensive. He served as President from 2006 to 2008 and also held positions of Vice President and Chairman Construction. His reputation has been established over 40 years and he has delivered some of the state’s landmark developments, including Queensland Supreme Law Courts, Boondall Entertainment & Sports Complex and Sheraton Mirage Resort.

AT THE RECENT MASTER BUILDERS PRESIDENT’S CHRISTMAS DRINKS, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF PRESENTING LIFE MEMBERSHIP STATUS TO TWO BUILDING INDUSTRY GREATS – JOHN GASKIN AND LAWRIE DORÉ.

Since 2005 he has been at the helm of his own firm, but he has also successfully steered numerous big names, such as Watpac Australia and Multiplex Constructions. His professional abilities are matched by his personal manner, which has seen him develop alliances across the industry with colleagues, competitors, consultants and clients.

John’s industry involvement is extensive and he holds or has held numerous positions, such as Chairman of the Building Services Authority, President of the Australian Institute of Building (Queensland Chapter), and Chairman of Construction Training Queensland.

In recent years he has also been engaged by the Queensland and Australian governments to provide professional advice and services on issues, such as asbestos management and sustainability, as well as chairing three reconstruction taskforces following natural disasters in Queensland.

Lawrie Doré has been entrenched in the building industry since 1973. He has been involved in the contracting, supervision and building of some 2,500 homes in South East Queensland, as well as a range of commercial projects.

His positions at Master Builders include President from 1992 to 1993, Chairman Housing, Executive Member and, more recently, member of the Master Builders Foundation committee.

He also continues to be heavily involved with the Housing Committee.

He is a regular speaker at Master Builders events and has a particular passion for training and mentoring. He was a key driver of the Master Connect program, introduced in 2010, that aims to bring members together to share business knowledge and to help them develop their business skills.

Lawrie is a passionate advocate for the industry who has expressed his desire to leave the building industry better than he found it.

On behalf of Master Builders and the industry, I thank John and Lawrie. Without their commitment, we would not be such an active and well-respected association

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Opinion Tim Mander – Minister for Housing and Public Works

Jarrod Bleijie – Attorney-General and Minister for Justice

New Building Commission on its way

Making our workplaces safer & fairer

After more than 20 years, the sometimes controversial Building Services Authority (BSA) will soon be replaced by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

Thanks to input from Master Builders and other Queensland industrial organisations, the Queensland Government has been able to forge a united way forward to make our workplaces safer and fairer for everyone.

We need an industry watchdog that properly reflects the construction sector’s position as one of the pillars of the Queensland economy.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Master Builders for their support on both our workers’ compensation legislation and amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011.

Overseen by a professional governing board, the QBCC will be responsible for the licensing of contractors, dispute resolution and the Home Warranty Scheme, with internal divisions firewalled from each other to prevent any conflict of interest.

The creation of the QBCC marks an important step in the government’s 10-point plan to reform building regulation in Queensland.

Other key initiatives, including reviewing the licensing and compliance arrangements for contractors and reforms to allow rapid dispute adjudication, will be implemented progressively by the new board.

As well as overhauling the way the industry is regulated, the Newman Government is also committed to slashing red tape to reduce costs for builders and their customers.

Over the past 18 months we have: •

Repealed the requirement for sustainability declarations when selling a residential property

•

Repealed laws mandating the installation of rainwater tanks and energy efficient hot water systems

•

Streamlined the approval process for everyday plumbing jobs

•

Simplified development codes for building over or near water or sewer infrastructure

•

Clarified the rules around the assessment process for solar panels and solar hot water systems.

In the coming year, I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders, such as Master Builders, on policies that will help the industry unleash its full potential and drive the future growth of the Queensland economy.

For more information about the QBCC, visit www.hpw.qld.gov.au/ construction

The fact is that the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme will be the fairest in the nation with the most coverage for workers and the lowest premiums for employers. It will focus on injury management, rehabilitation and return to work outcomes.

Workers will still be covered when they are travelling to and from work, ensuring Queensland remains the only state to cover journey claims of this nature.

Businesses will benefit too, with outlandish claims and skyrocketing premiums to become things of the past.

The Newman Government is cracking down on fraudulent claims and allowing employers to have access to the claims history of applicants – but is still being fair to workers. Access to common law claims will remain, except for those with a medically assessed injury of 5% impairment or less.

The changes to the Work Health and Safety Act will stop unions bringing construction sites to a halt, while ensuring legitimate safety issues are appropriately addressed by the regulator.

The past right of entry provisions simply allowed contractors to be bullied, with sites being hijacked and workers held to ransom.

I have personally heard of stories from hard working Queenslanders who have been locked out of their workplace because of militant union activity – one contractor lost 42 days of work due to illegal strike activity.

Every Queenslander deserves to go to work, do their job, get paid and be treated fairly.

That’s why, under our plans, union officials will have to provide at least 24 hours’ written notice before they can enter a workplace. The changes, which are with Safe Work Australia for consideration in applying them to the national model WHS laws, will align with the federal government’s Fair Work Act. These new laws will complement the Building Construction and Compliance Branch (BCCB) that the government recently established to crack down on militant union activity on construction sites.

We make no apologies for making workplaces safer and fairer. Recent figures show Queensland’s non-fatal injury and disease claim rate for the construction industry has decreased by 24%, which is above the Australian average decrease of 15%.

We will continue to the lead the way when it comes to workplace safety.

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[ 8 ] december 13/january 14

News

Important changes to work health & safety laws It is also important to note that control measures may still be required for work below three metres in housing construction, and below two metres for all other construction work, if a risk assessment suggests control measures should be provided.

Asbestos removal licences Changes to transitional arrangements for asbestos removal licences mean that holders of valid bonded (B class) removal certificates issued under the former WHS Regulation 2008 have been extended until 31 December 2014 to provide people with more time to complete the VET course CPCCDE3014A Remove nonfriable asbestos. This date of 31 December 2014 applies despite any other expiry date on the old certificate issued under the former WHS Regulation 2008.

Work health and safety laws affecting the construction industry in Queensland have changed from 15 November 2013.

The Queensland Government has been consulting with industry and reviewing Queensland’s work health and safety (WHS) laws to give business an opportunity to provide feedback on the national model WHS laws, which came into effect on 1 January 2012.

Industry representatives generally support the laws, but consider some aspects to have significant impact on their compliance burden, especially the construction industry.

Falls from heights

Licence holders should book into Master Builders Asbestos Worker Program as soon as possible to ensure they get a place and are trained by the end of next year.

Other changes Other changes include removing the requirement for design registration of ‘prefabricated formwork’, which was identified by the construction industry as unworkable and not providing a clear safety benefit.

On 15 November 2013 amendments to the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 commenced.

A key change will clarify that specific control measures are required where there is a risk of a fall of at least: •

Three metres in housing construction work; or

•

Two metres in other construction work.

This maintains the standards for working from heights in construction that applied under the repealed Regulation. In addition, these construction specific requirements prevail over the general falls regulation in section 78 of the current WHS Regulation.

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News

f r o m Mas t

uil er B

der s

Master Builders wishes you and your family a safe and happy festive season. Thank you for your continued support in 2013. We look forward to working with you in 2014.

Office closures All Master Builders offices across Queensland will close over the Christmas break from noon on Friday, 20 December 2013. Offices will reopen as follows: Master Builders office

Reopening date

Brisbane

Thursday, 2 January

Gold Coast, Central Queensland, North Queensland and Far North Queensland

Monday, 6 January

Mackay & Whitsunday

Tuesday, 7 January

Downs & Western, Sunshine Coast and Burnett Wide Bay

Monday, 13 January

Changes to the Fire Ant Restricted Area As of 31 October 2013, changes have been made to the boundaries of the fire ant restricted area.

Fire ants are dangerous imported pests that could spread to large areas of Australia, severely damaging the environment, our outdoor lifestyle, and the agriculture and tourism industries.

The revised boundaries for the Red Imported Fire Ant Restricted Area (RIFA Restricted Area) were implemented on 31 October. The risk status of 49 suburbs within these boundaries has also changed.

The RIFA Restricted Area is in place to prevent the spread of fire ants through controls on the movement of risk items such as soil, mulch, hay, turf and pot plants.

Legislative changes in December 2012 aligned the RIFA Restricted Area boundary with suburb boundaries to make it easier for residents and businesses to identify whether they were inside or outside the area. Suburbs within the RIFA Restricted Area were also aligned to either a high risk restricted area or a low risk restricted area based on their risk profile.

A map of the updated Red Imported Fire Ant Restricted Area (Version 46) can be found on the

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Master Builder errs In I surance will remain open throughout the h hol olid iday ayy per erio io od (e (exc xcep e t for public holidays) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; wherever you are re aro roun und d Austraaliia, a call Master Builderss Inssur u an a ce on 13 13 300 00 0 13 13 13 26 and someone wi will be av avai aila lable e to o an nssswe we w er yo er your urr calll during office hours. s.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry website at www.daff.qld.gov.au/fireants Restricted items include soil, manure, mulch, hay, sleepers/logs, poultry, turf, bark, pot plants, potting media and gravels. Note: Soil requires an inspectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approval before being moved into an unrestricted area.

Businesses should review their Approved Risk Management Plan as inspectors will be conducting spot audits over the coming months. If you require advice or assistance with your plan, please contact a fire ant inspector on (07) 3310 2907.

Updated fire ant training is available at no charge for all persons. The training outlines everything you need to know including your legal obligations, how to update or apply for a Risk Management Plan and fire ant surveillance and identification. Call (07) 3310 2873 to make a booking.

For more information about the changes to the Red Imported Fire Ant Restricted Area, please visit www.daff.qld.gov.au/fireants

News

Defective electrical cable Australian electrical safety regulators recently prohibited the supply and installation of Infinity cable (PVC sheathed or PVC insulated).

Since April 2012 this cabling has been used widely throughout the building industry by electrical contractors, and has been available for sale at Masters Home Improvement stores and other retailers across Queensland.

taken to prevent personal injury or property damage, and generally will exclude coverage for claims arising from known defects in your works. We suggest you discuss this with your insurer.

This cabling does not comply with safety criteria and will deteriorate over time, creating a high risk of electric shock from direct contact and the potential for fire.

What should you do?

Master Builders has raised this issue with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which is now collecting evidence Australia-wide with a view to issuing a compulsory product safety recall, to replace the current voluntary recall.

Who is liable?

If you have completed building work where the electrical contractor has installed Infinity cabling, your client will be entitled, under Australian Consumer Law, to ask you to fix the problem.

We recommend builders take the following steps: 1. Write to all electrical contractors you have used since April 2012, to request confirmation, in writing, if they have used Infinity cabling.

2. If the cable has been used, write to the electrical contractor directing them to remove the cable and repair any associated damage.

3. You should inform the client that the cable has been used.

Are you covered by insurance?

4. You and/or the electrical contractor should also contact the retailer from which the cable was purchased, to establish what they intend to do about replacing the defective cable and reimbursing the cost of any repair work. Request that their response be in writing.

Insurance policies vary; however, generally, construction works policies will not pay the costs of rectifying or replacing defective works or materials. Public liability policies normally require that all reasonable precautions be

5. If the electrical contractor or retailer fails to provide an adequate response to your request, contact Master Builders immediately to access our initial free legal advice.

The contractor who supplied the electrical cable has a duty to supply goods that are fit for purpose.

6. You should establish what safety issues need to be addressed now.

We recommend electrical contractors take the following steps: 1. In writing, contact all businesses and individuals you have completed work for since April 2012, advising if you have used Infinity cabling.

2. If you have used the cabling, contact the retailer from which the cable was purchased, to establish what they intend to do about replacing the defective cable and reimbursing the cost of any repair work.

Request that their response be in writing.

3. Arrange for the retailer to send a qualified person to inspect the cabling.

4. You may wish to check any insurance coverage you hold.

5. Establish what safety issues need to be addressed now.

You should keep a copy of all written correspondence between all parties for your record.

What is Master Builders doing?

Master Builders will continue to liaise with the state government to establish the extent of the problem, and will work with Master Electricians on a strategy to make the installation of safety switches mandatory in existing homes.

We will also continue to push retailers who have sold Infinity cabling to contact all purchasers of the defective cable, and for the retailers to agree to cover all rectification costs.

For further assistance, please contact us on (07) 3225 6419 or email housing@masterbuilders.asn.au

New phone numbers Master Builders local office phone and fax numbers have changed.

The change is part of a new telephone system that will help us to better service members, answer your queries and put you in touch with the right people easily.

Office

Phone

Fax

Brisbane

(07) 3225 6444

(07) 3225 6545

Gold Coast

(07) 5582 7100

(07) 5597 7044

Downs & Western

(07) 4659 4200

(07) 4639 5144

Sunshine Coast

(07) 5456 9800

(07) 5453 4670

Burnett Wide Bay

(07) 4303 2400

(07) 4124 7235

To enable the change, some regional offices were required to change their phone and fax numbers.

Central Queensland

(07) 4923 1900

(07) 4921 3235

Mackay & Whitsunday

(07) 4969 4500

(07) 4951 3418

Please find an updated list of contact numbers for all offices below. Note: Brisbane and Gold Coast office numbers have not changed.

North Queensland

(07) 4417 1800

(07) 4771 5777

Far North Queensland

(07) 4042 8800

(07) 4041 7663

december 13/january 14

[ 11 ]

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Policy & advocacy Grant Galvin – Executive Director

WorkCover changes a win for building industry small businesses from hiring, training and investing in new staff.

For several years, Master Builders has been calling on the state government to assist small businesses by making necessary changes to ensure that the focus is put back on injury management, rehabilitation and return to work outcomes for injured workers.

We strongly support and commend the Attorney-General, the Hon. Jarrod Bleije MP, for his leadership on this emotive issue, to preserve Queensland as the best workers’ compensation scheme of any state in Australia.

What it all means

Master Builders recently lobbied hard for changes to WorkCover legislation, bringing about reforms that will significantly reduce premiums for Queensland businesses, whilst ensuring that the scheme remains fully funded and sustainable.

•

All workers with a work-related injury will continue to receive weekly benefits while recovering from injury.

•

All medical, hospital and rehabilitation bills will still be paid.

•

Workers who have sustained a permanent impairment from their injury will be provided with lump sum compensation.

•

Common law claims have been maintained for serious injuries: where an injured worker has a permanent impairment of more than 5%, they can still make a claim under the common law.

•

Workers with a degree of permanent impairment of 5% or lower will retain all entitlements under the statutory scheme.

•

Journey claims have been retained for all workers.

The changes, which were passed in Parliament in October, include the introduction of a 5% impairment threshold before being eligible to make a common law claim, cracking down on fraudulent claims, and allowing employers to have access to the claims history of prospective applicants, as well as the maintenance of journey provisions. These changes will not impact workers who have a genuine claim.

The rising cost of workers’ compensation insurance has had a major negative impact on businesses in Queensland, particularly in the building and construction industry. The changes will help restore balance to a scheme where premiums have gone up between 23% and 61% for building and construction employers over the last four years. Clearly, this situation was not sustainable and discouraged

Master Builders was strong in our message to all Queenslanders that the changes will have no impact on any individual’s right to workers’ compensation payments for lost wages, medical expenses, and rehabilitation and return to work expenses when they are injured. The genuine 90,000 statutory claims made each year will not be affected by the changes. The introduction of the common law threshold impacts less than 4% of total claims.

The option for injured workers with less than 5% impairment to claim their statutory benefits and then make an additional claim for common law damages has been eliminated.

THE CHANGES WILL HELP RESTORE BALANCE TO A SCHEME WHERE PREMIUMS HAVE GONE UP… THIS SITUATION WAS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND DISCOURAGED SMALL BUSINESSES FROM HIRING, TRAINING AND INVESTING IN NEW STAFF.

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For more information on the changes see page 29 or contact Master Builders on (07) 3225 6407 or email workplacerelations@mastebuilders.asn.au

Reports & statistics Paul Bidwell – Deputy Executive Director

Healthy approvals underpin industry confidence The latest round of Building Approvals from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed healthy increases for Queensland and lend further support to Master Builders confident outlook.

Building approvals for total dwelling units rose by 3.7%, which is a very positive increase of 16.8% on the same time last year. Private sector houses also showed an increase, rising 3.2% from last month and 4.9% from September 2013.

These figures confirm Master Builders positive forecast for the industry for the next 18 months and reinforce the confident outlook the industry has for both the economy generally and the building and construction industry – the results of which were seen in our latest Survey of Industry Conditions report released in late October (see the article on page 14).

For some time we’ve been pinning our hopes on an improvement in business and consumer confidence and it seems that at last activity levels are starting to improve as confidence seeps back into the community.

% change Aug 13 to Sep 13

% change Sep 12 to Sep 13

Region

Sep 13

Aug 13

Sep 12

Brisbane

1,725

1,352

1,319

27.59%

23.54%

Gold Coast

318

259

88

22.78%

72.33%

Sunshine Coast

168

223

103

-24.66%

38.69%

Burnett Wide Bay

126

143

125

-11.89%

0.79%

Darling Downs & South West Qld

194

251

129

-22.71%

33.51%

Central Qld

190

131

198

45.04%

-4.21%

Mackay & Whitsunday

167

203

169

-17.73%

-1.20%

North Qld

118

124

281

-4.84%

-138.14%

77

80

58

-3.75%

24.68%

Far North Qld

QBSA Lic: 79973 A Class Asbestos Lic: 2271463 Demolition Lic: 2271464

At a regional level, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Fitzroy all reported significant increases. It is very heartening to see these areas firing, particularly Brisbane and the Gold Coast, both of which are the traditional powerhouses of the Queensland building industry.

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Reports & statistics

Confidence surges as election result drives improved outlook Business confidence in the outlook for the economy and building and construction industry has surged to its highest level in three and a half years, according to Master Builders latest survey.

According to Master Builders Deputy Executive Director, Paul Bidwell, the swell in confidence can be attributed to the strong federal election result in September and favourable economic conditions.

Master Builders is confident that these conditions will translate into increased housing activity in the coming months, on the back of positive factors, such as low interest rates, solid population growth and stable employment figures.

The building and construction industry has definitely embraced the end of minority government, which will go a long way towards improving the uncertain political environment and providing more stability for the economy.

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[ 14 ] december 13/january 14

The September 2013 quarter Survey of Industry Conditions found that conditions in the residential sector improved for the fourth quarter in a row, although commercial sector conditions did remain challenging and conditions overall remain at less than satisfactory levels.

Fortunately, both sectors are forecast to improve further over the next three months, which is welcome news for the industry.

Another positive was the upward trend of display centre traffic, which is a sign that the recent string of interest rate cuts may finally be getting some traction in the residential market.

The survey showed the most critical constraint on business was the lacklustre level of demand for the tenth quarter in a row.

Reports & statistics

Key points from each regional snapshot include:

•

Brisbane •

•

•

Conditions in the residential sector have generally improved, while commercial sector conditions remained challenging and conditions overall remain at less than satisfactory levels.

Turnover recorded its second consecutive quarter in positive territory for the first time in more than three years, with profitability also hitting its highest level in three years.

•

•

•

The most critical constraint on business growth was the lacklustre level of demand.

•

•

Conditions in the residential sector have generally improved, while commercial sector conditions remained challenging and conditions overall remain at less than satisfactory levels.

Turnover recorded its second consecutive quarter in positive territory for the first time in more than three years, with profitability also forecast to return to satisfactory levels for the first time in three years.

Conditions in the residential sector have generally improved, while commercial sector conditions remained challenging and conditions overall remain at less than satisfactory levels.

•

Despite a sharp fall, turnover and profitability are expected to improve in the December quarter 2013 and return to satisfactory levels.

•

The most critical constraint on business growth was the availability and cost of finance.

While conditions in the residential and commercial sectors remained at less than satisfactory levels, they are forecast to improve during the December quarter.

While turnover and profitability eased marginally during the quarter, both business performance benchmarks are forecast to return to satisfactory levels for the first time in over three years.

The most critical constraint on business growth was the availability and cost of finance.

Mackay & Whitsunday •

Mackay & Whitsunday, along with North Queensland, were the only regions to record lower levels of confidence following the federal election.

•

Conditions in both residential and commercial sectors are forecast to improve over the three months to December 2013.

•

Despite contracting during the quarter, turnover and profitability are expected to improve in the December quarter 2013 and return to satisfactory levels.

•

The most critical constraint on business growth was the lacklustre level of demand.

Burnett Wide Bay •

•

The most critical constraint on business growth was the availability and cost of finance.

Darling Downs & South West Queensland •

•

historical standards and are forecast to improve during the December quarter.

The most critical constraint on business growth was labour costs.

Sunshine Coast

Gold Coast •

While turnover and profitability eased marginally during the quarter, both business performance benchmarks are forecast to return to satisfactory levels.

•

While conditions in the residential and commercial sectors remained at less than satisfactory levels, they are forecast to improve during the December quarter.

Turnover recorded its third consecutive quarter in positive territory for the first time in more than three years, with profitability also hitting its highest level since the June quarter 2012.

The most critical constraint on business growth was the lacklustre level of demand.

Central Queensland •

North Queensland •

North Queensland, along with Mackay & Whitsunday, were the only regions to record lower levels of confidence following the federal election.

•

Conditions in both residential and commercial sectors are forecast to improve over the three months to December 2013.

•

Despite contracting during the quarter, turnover and profitability are expected to improve in the December quarter 2013 and return to satisfactory levels.

•

The most critical constraint on business growth was the lacklustre level of demand.

While conditions in the residential and commercial sectors eased during the quarter, they remain fairly strong by

Far North Queensland

FORTUNATELY, BOTH SECTORS ARE FORECAST TO IMPROVE FURTHER OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS

•

While conditions in the residential and commercial sectors remained at less than satisfactory levels, they are forecast to improve during the December quarter.

•

Despite remaining under pressure, turnover and profitability are expected to improve in the December quarter 2013 and return to satisfactory levels.

•

The most critical constraint on business growth was the lacklustre level of demand.

Master Builders Survey of Industry Conditions report provides information and analysis on industry expectations and business performance, based on a survey of Master Builders members across Queensland. For copies of the reports, visit www.masterbuilders.asn.au/publicationsand-resources/reports-and-statistics december 13/january 14

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Reports & statistics Paul Bidwell – Deputy Executive Director

Solid new housing starts predicted for 2013–14 As with last year, we anticipate the renovation market will remain solid in 2013–14, with high transaction costs, like stamp duty, and the uncertain economic environment and fears about job security likely to encourage some home owners to renovate rather than upgrade to a new home. Kitchens and bathrooms are likely to remain popular renovation options as they add value and make homes more liveable.

Looking further ahead, Master Builders believes the outlook for the state’s residential construction sector is positive. The major LNG projects currently under construction will shift to production and their exports will help to bolster the state’s economic performance.

We believe the key to driving growth and boosting consumer and business confidence is a recovery in key employing industries, such as tourism, retail, hospitality and manufacturing.

Growth and confidence in these sectors will, in turn, encourage residential construction activity.

A forecast of 32,000 new housing starts along with solid renovation activity is expected in 2013–14, according to Master Builders annual Building industry outlook report released in November.

The report includes a positive forecast, particularly for the residential sector, while acknowledging that conditions during 2012–13 remained tough. Activity levels in both the residential and commercial sectors remained below par as a lack of confidence, job security fears, the ongoing economic uncertainty and tight lending conditions continued to take their toll and dampen demand.

Despite 2012–13 levels remaining below the decade average, there is growing optimism that the residential sector has bottomed and a recovery is now underway. This view is supported by recent building approvals data, which has gradually trended upwards since the decade lows of late 2011.

Master Builders is confident that a range of factors will positively impact on new dwelling starts over the next 12–24 months, such as low interest rates, which are finally helping to stimulate demand for new housing, and improved consumer confidence, a more settled domestic political environment, strong economic growth and ongoing population growth.

This optimistic forecast for 2013–14 follows stronger starts in 2012–13, which drifted upwards by 3.6% to 29,343, exceeding our forecast of 28,000. We are also anticipating further growth in 2014– 15, with levels conservatively forecast to rise by 10.9% to 35,500. If conditions improve further, it is possible that we could exceed 40,000 housing starts in Queensland in 2014–15.

We believe much of the rebound in activity will initially be in detached and low-rise attached dwellings, rather than high-rise attached dwellings, mainly due to the ongoing tight credit environment, which is making high-rise apartment projects difficult.

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[ 16 ] december 13/january 14

Master Builders Building industry outlook report includes a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of the building industry and an assessment on business sentiment and outlook for the medium term. For a copy, visit www.masterbuilders.asn.au/publicationsand-resources/reports-and-statistics/buildingindustry-outlook

Master Builders state

housing & construction

awards

winners

2013

Housing & Construction Awards

House of the Year Robilliard Nominees Pty Ltd T/A Robilliard Building & Design Sunshine Coast Built over two allotments in exclusive Noosa Sound, this signature home boasts a luxurious pool and tennis court. Inside features bespoke built-in furniture, automated lighting, a steam shower, a high output gas fireplace and solar electricity generation. Technology is seamlessly integrated through the house, including the latest audio visual equipment, high output LED lighting, motorised curtains and bi-folding doors. The home demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, innovation and creativity.

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Housing & Construction Awards

Project of the Year Lend Lease Project Management & Construction (Australia) Pty Limited Brisbane Supreme Court & District Court The $575 million Brisbane Supreme and District Court is a stunningly original concrete sculpture and one of the largest court buildings in Australia. It has capacity for 45 courtrooms, a court of appeal, 27 criminal courts and 17 civil courts, accommodation for 68 judges, separate internal circulation systems and access for judges, jurors and vulnerable witnesses, a basement cell block, a secure public garden and four levels of chambers. The final product is a unique concrete structure that is stunningly original and sustainable, leaving its legacy as a landmark building for Brisbane. This project required an innovative construction methodology, not relying on any conventional methods.

december 13/january 14

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Housing & Construction Awards

President’s Award Ownit Homes Pty Ltd Brisbane The Mirage display home is a magnificent double-storey home with dramatic, playful décor. The home is an entertainer’s dream, with open-plan living and wide sliding doors opening up to reveal a spacious outdoor alfresco area. Sparkling mirrors, bright feature walls and clever lighting stir up a party atmosphere. With five bedrooms and three bathrooms, the house is ideal for a growing family and represents great value for money.

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[ 20 ] december 13/january 14

Housing & Construction Awards

Apprentice of the Year Lachlan James Kenman Sunshine Coast Born and raised in Gympie, Lachlan Kenman has always aspired to be a builder. After undertaking work experience in the industry, Lachlan was offered an apprenticeship with local builder Mark Buchanan in 2010. Lachlan has worked on numerous projects throughout the Gympie region, including new homes, multi-storey projects, extensions, bathroom renovations and house removal. With a strong work ethic and a commitment to the industry, he is well on his way to becoming a qualified builder.

Apprentice Employer of the Year Mark L Buchanan Sunshine Coast Mark Buchanan is a long-time Gympie builder and proud member of the local construction industry. Mark has shown great commitment to Lachlan during his apprenticeship, and is proud to call Lachlan a close mate. Mark hosted Lachlan for the full term of his apprenticeship and is currently working with Lachlan to complete his apprenticeship and become a fully qualified builder.

Women in Building Yvonne Pengilly Far North Queensland Yvonne has had a long and illustrious career in the industry – which is nowhere near done yet.

Over 30 plus years, she has progressed from trade contractor to the holder of a Builder Open licence, through to Construction Manager and Managing Director of her own former, awardwinning building company. Yvonne is also involved with local property developer, Stateland, as Design Manager.

Rising Star Award Paul Harms Gold Coast Paul started PJH Constructions in late 2009 and undertook all the roles within the business, but his commitment to quality and workmanship soon saw his business grow, resulting in the implementation of a dedicated team who share his vision and passion. Paul believes that you don’t have clients – you develop future friends – and he has focused his business around the renovation market. Paul has developed a seven-point Customer Satisfaction Guarantee system and this has become his team’s mandate with every project.

december 13/january 14

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Housing & Construction Awards

Housing winners

Display Home up to $275,000 Henley Properties (Qld) Pty Ltd T/A Plantation Homes Carmelle Q1 (Brisbane) Display Home $276,000 – $375,000 Michael Court T/A Cairns Profile Homes Balmoral (Far North Queensland) Display Home $376,000 – $475,000 Ownit Homes Pty Ltd The Mirage (Brisbane)

Individual Home $626,000 – $775,000 D D B Constructions Pty Ltd Kuta House (Sunshine Coast) Individual Home $776,000 – $1 million Corbett Homes Pty Ltd Chantilly (Central Queensland) Individual Home $1 million – $1.5 million Mike Murry Homes Pty Ltd (Burnett Wide Bay) Individual Home $1.5 million – $2 million McLachlan Special Projects Pty Ltd (Brisbane)

Display Home $476,000 – $625,000 Tropical Trend Homes Pty Ltd 241 Litara (Far North Queensland)

Individual Home $2 million – $5 million Alder Constructions Pty Ltd (Gold Coast)

Individual Home up to $275,000 Geoffrey J Longwood T/A Geoff Longwood Constructions (North Queensland)

Individual Home over $5 million Robilliard Nominees Pty Ltd T/A Robilliard Building & Design (Sunshine Coast)

Individual Home $276,000 – $375,000 Ricky D Paroz T/A Comfort Homes R Paroz Constructions (Burnett Wide Bay)

Best Heritage Style Home Qflair Pty Ltd T/A Ezylifestyle Homes Signature, Oakland Hills (Central Queensland)

Home Renovation/Remodelling Project up to $275,000 Bowseem Pty Ltd T/A J H C Homes ‘The Shack’ (Sunshine Coast) Home Renovation/Remodelling Project $276,000 – $575,000 Mark Watson Constructions Pty Ltd Tulloch Residence (Far North Queensland) Home Renovation/Remodelling Project over $576,000 Yes J C Pty Ltd T/A 4C Constructions Hampton House (Brisbane) Low-Rise Multi-Residential Housing (duplexes) C K P Constructions (Brisbane) Low-Rise Multi-Residential Housing (townhouses) Ryan Designer Homes Pty Ltd Brighton Precinct Townhouses (Sunshine Coast)

Individual Home $376,000 – $475,000 Mark J Winter Winter House (Downs & Western)

Housing for Sloping Sites up to $425,000 Val Eco Homes Pty Ltd (Brisbane)

Medium-Rise Multi-Residential Housing (units/3 storey) Abor Developments Pty Ltd Elysium Residences (Brisbane)

Individual Home $476,000 – $625,000 Geoffrey J Longwood T/A Geoff Longwood Constructions (North Queensland)

Housing for Sloping Sites over $426,000 Braeden Constructions Pty Ltd (Sunshine Coast)

Excellence in Sustainable Living Peter L Curley T/A Peter Curley Constructions Calanthe (Sunshine Coast)

Specialty winners Best Bathroom MCD Constructions (Qld) Pty Ltd Courtyard Residence (Brisbane)

Trade Contractor – Tiling Peter Johnston Tiling Pty Ltd Twin Towns Services Club (Gold Coast)

Best Kitchen Russell Kelly T/A Artizan Cabinets Hinrich (Far North Queensland)

Trade Contractor – Swimming Pools, Outdoor Living & Landscaping Christopher R Smith (Sunshine Coast)

Trade Contractor – Carpentry, Shopfitting & Cabinet Making Yes J C Pty Ltd T/A 4C Constructions Hampton House (Brisbane)

Trade Contractor – Glazing Caribbean Contractors Pty Ltd Gold Coast Hospital Entrance (Gold Coast)

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[ 22 ] december 13/january 14

Housing & Construction Awards

Construction winners

Health & Education Facilities up to $5 million Condev Construction Pty Ltd Somerset College – The Knowledge & Information Precinct (Gold Coast) Health & Education Facilities $5 million – $20 million J Hutchinson Pty Ltd T/A Hutchinson Builders Sunshine Coast Private Hospital – Mental Health Unit “Cooinda” (Sunshine Coast) Health & Education Facilities over $20 million Watpac Construction Pty Ltd QIMR Central Building (Brisbane) Sporting & Community Service Facilities up to $5 million HPS (QLD) Pty Ltd AFL Cape York House (Far North Queensland) Sporting & Community Service Facilities $5 million – $20 million Carmichael Builders Pty Ltd Cloncurry Community Precinct (North Queensland) Sporting & Community Service Facilities $20 million – $400 million Thiess Pty Ltd Lotus Glen Correctional Centre (Far North Queensland) Sporting & Community Service Facilities over $400 million Lend Lease Project Management & Construction (Australia) Pty Limited Brisbane Supreme Court & District Court

Tourism & Hospitality Facilities up to $5 million Buildcorp Group Pty Limited T/A Buildcorp Interiors Fat Noodle – Treasury Casino (Brisbane) Tourism & Hospitality Facilities over $5 million Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd Townsville Cruise Ship Terminal (North Queensland) Lifestyle Housing for Seniors Watpac Construction Pty Ltd Holy Spirit Care Services (Brisbane) Refurbishment/Renovation up to $5 million Box & Co Pty Ltd St Mary’s College Ipswich (Brisbane) Refurbishment/Renovation over $5 million Abigroup Contractors Pty Limited Brisbane City Hall Restoration Retail Facilities up to $5 million Don Woods Homes Pty Ltd Totally Workwear (Mackay & Whitsunday)

Industrial Building over $5 million Laing O’Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd Gold Coast Hospital Car Park Commercial Building (office accommodation) up to $5 million John Foster Projects Pty Ltd ABC Regional Radio Studio (Mackay & Whitsunday) Commercial Building (office accommodation) over $5 million Leighton Contractors Pty Limited One One One Eagle Street (Brisbane) Residential Building (high-rise over 3 storey) up to $20 million C K P Constructions Pty Ltd Rair (Brisbane) Residential Building (high-rise over 3 storey) over $20 million Grocon Constructors (Qld) Pty Ltd Soul Residential Apartments (Gold Coast) Innovation in Workplace Health & Safety Leighton Contractors Pty Limited One One One Eagle Street (Brisbane)

Retail Facilities over $5 million Westfield Design & Construction Pty Ltd Westfield Carindale (Brisbane)

Innovation in Environmental Management F K Gardner & Sons Pty Ltd Moranbah Dam Project – Dam Remediation Works (Mackay & Whitsunday)

Industrial Building up to $5 million Spaceframe Buildings Pty Ltd SSS Auto Parts (Brisbane)

Excellence in Sustainable Building Thiess Pty Ltd King George Central (Brisbane)

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Housing & Construction Awards

A most spectacular night

Queensland’s best of the best were announced recently at the Annual Dinner and State Housing & Construction Awards.

The 2013 Annual Dinner and State Housing & Construction Awards was held on Friday, 4 October at Brisbane City Hall.

As the largest restoration project undertaken in Queensland to date, the newly refurbished Brisbane City Hall was a fitting venue for the State Awards presentation. The restoration project took three years, resulting in a completely revamped masterpiece that has been immaculately restored to its former glory. Abigroup Contractors undertook the sensitive and challenging project, and were deservedly presented with the Refurbishment/Renovation over $5 million award on the night.

The Housing & Construction Awards play a pivotal role in promoting excellence in the building and construction industry in Queensland, so it was positive to see more than 520 guests from across Queensland at the event.

The awards give the industry an opportunity to showcase quality workmanship and innovation, and recognise the important contribution the building and construction industry makes towards Queensland’s economy.

Winning a Master Builders Housing & Construction Award provides an excellent platform for public acclaim and is a great publicity tool that members can use to set their business apart from the competition.

The standard of entries from around the state was extremely high. It is a tribute to the Housing & Construction Awards that, after 26 years, they continue to be sought after by the state’s top builders and tradespeople.

Guests were treated to fine food and entertainment by the colourful and spectacular Cirque Va Voom, who wowed the audience with hilarious antics and high energy. To close the night, Australian Idol finalist, Casey Barnes and his band had guests on the dance floor through until midnight.

Thank you to all our members and guests who attended. The Annual Dinner is a great opportunity for you to see the fruits of the industry’s labour. Also, thanks to our members who continue to support the Housing & Construction Awards program – it’s your contribution and commitment to excellence that ensures its ongoing success.

Entries for the 2014 Housing & Construction Awards will open in February.

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[ 24 ] december 13/january 14

Using non-compliant steel can take on a new meaning if something goes wrong.

Regret. (verb.) a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, expressing regret for a poor choice.

• Don’t regret your choices. The ramifications from using non-compliant steel far outweigh the initial cost savings.

• Heavy losses and damaged reputations are just some of the ways you could be affected.

• It’s important to be confident that structures that are built comply with Australian/New Zealand Standards and the Building Codes.

• It’s your responsibility to check the steel you use to avoid penalties in the future.

• Just because it looks the same doesn’t mean it complies.

• Understanding how you can protect yourself is critical. You have the power to refuse to use non-compliant steel.

• Don’t leave steel compliance to chance, demand the ACRS Certificate of Product Compliance.

'HPDQG $&56 &HUWLÀFDWHV RI 3URGXFW &RPSOLDQFH <RX ZRQ·W UHJUHW LW

Call ACRS on (02) 9965 7216, email info@steelcertification.com or visit www.steelcertification.com $&56 ² 7KH $XVWUDODVLDQ &HUWLÀFDWLRQ $XWKRULW\ IRU 5HLQIRUFLQJ DQG 6WUXFWXUDO 6WHHOV /WG $%1

Housing & Construction Awards

National Award winners Winners of the 2013 Master Builders National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards were recently announced in Canberra.

Queensland was well represented at a national level, bringing home five awards, including three housing awards and two commercial construction awards from projects based in Brisbane, Gold Coast, North Queensland and Far North Queensland.

Master Builders Executive Director, Grant Galvin, congratulated all winners who represented Queensland at a national level.

“Competition at the Master Builders National Awards is traditionally fierce and the five Queensland winners must be applauded for their competitiveness in such a strong field of contenders,” Mr Galvin said.

“Winning an award at a national level is one of the highest industry accolades a builder can receive.

“It is particularly exciting to see Queensland’s regional builders on display, with two of the winning entries coming from North and Far North Queensland, in addition to winners from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.”

Winners included: •

National Alterations & Additions over $500,000 – Yes J C Pty Ltd T/A 4C Constructions (Brisbane)

•

National Display Home $250,000 to $350,000 – Michael Court T/A Cairns Profile Homes (Cairns)

•

National High Rise Apartment Building – Soul Residential Apartments, Grocon Constructors (Qld) Pty Ltd (Gold Coast)

•

National Public Buildings Award under $5 million – Somerset College, Condev Construction Pty Ltd (Gold Coast)

•

National Public Buildings Award $5 million to $10 million – Townsville Cruise Ship Terminal, Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd (Townsville)

For more information about the National Awards, visit the Master Builders Australia website at www.masterbuilders.com.au

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[ 26 ] december 13/january 14

Housing & Construction Awards

2013 Master Builders National Excellence in Building and Construction Award winners National Commercial Master Builder of the Year Construction Control, Canberra Airport Multi-user Terminal Redevelopment Australian Capital Territory National Residential Master Builder of the Year Prime Form Construction Pty Ltd New South Wales National Specialist Contractor of the Year Perth Rigging Company, Perth Arena Western Australia National President’s Award Fairbrother Construction, Devonport Maritime Museum, Tasmania National Apprentice of the Year Philip De Jong, Tasmania Department of Social Services National Lifestyle Housing for Seniors Award Purpose Built Detached Dwelling – PBS Building, Isabella Gardens Stage 1 Australian Capital Territory Department of Social Services National Lifestyle Housing for Seniors Award – Multi Unit Development Mossop Construction + Interiors Masonic Homes Lumina Apartments South Australia National Export Award – Building and Construction Services Walker Corporation National Export Award – Products and Manufacturing under $25 million Australian Turntable Company Pty Ltd National Export Award – Products and Manufacturing over $25 million Brickworks Building Products Wood Solutions National Young Builder of the Year Ryan Cole, Western Australia Telstra Environment and Energy Efficiency Building Award – National Housing Project Ambe Engineering ECON WALL Australian Capital Territory Telstra Environment and Energy Efficiency Building Award – National Commercial Project Baulderstone Pty Ltd, Sustainable Buildings Research Centre, New South Wales National Alterations/Additions Award under $150,000 MMM Interiors, Australian Capital Territory

National Alterations/Additions Award $150,000 to $350,000 Brilliant SA Pty Ltd, South Australia National Alterations/Additions Award $350,000 to $500,000 Brother Projects and MMM Interiors Australian Capital Territory National Alterations/Additions Award over $500,000 Yes J C Pty Ltd T/A 4C Constructions Queensland National Display Home under $250,000 Porter Davis (PD Group), Oakdale 28 Mernda, Victoria National Display Home $250,000 to $350,000 Michael Court T/A Cairns Profile Homes Balmoral, Queensland National Display Home $350,000 to $500,000 apg homes, Opus, Western Australia National Display Home over $500,000 Alan Sheppard Constructions, Infinity South Australia National Project Home under $350,000 Bartlett Homes, Settlers Rest Cottage Newcastle National Project Home $350,000 to $500,000 Scott Salisbury Homes, South Australia National Project Home $500,000 to $1 million Brandon Calder Homes Pty Ltd, Newcastle National Luxury Project Home $1 million to $2 million Martin Builders, Victoria National Luxury Project Home over $2 million Prime Form Construction Pty Ltd New South Wales Cbus National Medium Density 2 to 5 Dwellings Aura Prestige Homes, South Australia Cbus National Medium Density over 5 Dwellings Halikos Constructions, Larrakeyah Barracks Resident Redevelopment Northern Territory

National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award under $5 million Total Project Construction St Francis Xavier College Student Services Hub Australian Capital Territory National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award $5 million to $10 million FDC Construction and Fitout Treasury Wine Estates, Southbank, Victoria National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award $10 million to $20 million Watpac Construction (Vic) Pty Ltd, Hume Global Learning Centre, Victoria National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award $20 million to $50 million FDC Construction & Fitout Pty Ltd Fox Sports/Gore Hill Building C New South Wales National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award $50 million to $100 million John Holland Pty Ltd, 60 Station Street – Eclipse Tower, New South Wales National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award over $100 million Construction Control, Canberra Airport Multi-user Terminal Redevelopment Australian Capital Territory Toyota National Civil/Infrastructure Award under $25 million Grindley Construction Pty Ltd Scenic World – Tram and Train Upgrade New South Wales Toyota National Civil/Infrastructure Award over $25 million Laing O’Rourke, Newcastle K10 Berth Construction, New South Wales ACT Government National Public Buildings Award under $5 million Condev Construction Pty Ltd Somerset College – The Knowledge & Information Precinct, Queensland ACT Government National Public Buildings Award $5 million to $10 million Seymour Whyte Constructions Pty Ltd Townsville Cruise Ship Terminal, Queensland

Cbus National High Rise Apartment Building Grocon Constructors (Qld) Pty Ltd, Soul Residential Apartments, Queensland

National Public Buildings Award $10 million to $50 million Project Coordination (Australia), National Arboretum Canberra Visitor Centre Australian Capital Territory

National Excellence in Workplace Health and Safety Award Vos Construction & Joinery Pty Ltd, Sorell Council Administration Centre, Tasmania

National Public Buildings Award over $50 million BGC Construction, Perth Arena Western Australia december 13/january 14

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Employment & wages Mikki Richardson – Senior Advisor Workplace Relations

Are you ready for the silly season?

With Christmas just around the corner, employers need to ensure that workplace health and safety issues don’t put a dampener on the festive season.

Here are a few simple tips for workplace functions: •

Comply with your workplace drug and alcohol policy.

•

Prior to the function make sure that employees are aware of what is considered appropriate behaviour and that incidences of fighting, bullying, offensive language and sexual harassment will not be tolerated.

•

Remind employees that the function is deemed a work event and employees

A supervisor or manager should be in attendance at the function at all times.

They should signal when the function is finished.

•

Avoid functions where drinking is on site, in construction work areas, or venues where there is no alternative transport or inappropriate entertainment is supplied.

are subject to the usual disciplinary procedures.

Christmas functions If you are planning a Christmas function, remember that an employer may be held vicariously liable for the actions of their employees. This may result in action being taken against an employer for harassment, WorkCover or other employment and/or workplace health and safety related claims.

•

•

Ensure there are clear start and finish times for the function.

Remember to have fun, but not at other people’s expense.

•

Only serve alcohol for a limited time and ensure that there are plenty of soft drinks, low strength beer and lots of food and water available.

For more information, contact Master Builders on (07) 3225 6407 or email workplacerelations@masterbuilders.asn.au

•

If employees are attending a workrelated Christmas function, then it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that they are able to return home safely, so you may need to consider giving staff cab vouchers, hiring mini buses or nominating drivers, etc.

•

Make sure you meet health and safety obligations, not only for your employees, but also for contractors, guests and entertainers (if they are in attendance).

2014 RDO & public holidays calendar RDOs 2014

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Public Holidays 2014

Monday

6 January

New Year’s Day

Wednesday, 1 January

Monday

3 February

Australia Day

Monday, 27 January

Monday

3 March

Good Friday

Friday, 18 April

Monday

31 March

Easter Saturday

Saturday, 19 April

Monday

28 April

Easter Monday

Monday, 21 April

Monday

26 May

Anzac Day

Friday, 25 April

Monday

23 June

Queen’s Birthday

Monday, 9 June

Monday

21 July

Exhibition Day

Wednesday, 13 August (Brisbane)

Monday

18 August

Labour Day

Monday, 6 October

Monday

15 September

G-20 Summit

14 November (Brisbane)

Monday

13 October

Christmas Day Holiday Thursday, 25 December

Monday

10 November

Boxing Day Holiday

Friday, 26 December

Monday

8 December

New Year’s Day

Thursday, 1 January 2015

Employment & wages Mikki Richardson – Senior Advisor Workplace Relations

Changes to workers’ compensation The Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation and Other Legislation Amendment Act was recently passed in Parliament, bringing about a number of changes to Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme.

This article outlines the recent changes to the workers’ compensation scheme, which were effective from October 2013. Key processes and employer obligations remain unchanged.

or condition they may not be entitled to compensation or damages for any event that aggravates the non-disclosed pre-existing injury or condition.

Q-Comp Q-Comp will be replaced with the ‘Workers’ Compensation Regulator’ (the Regulator) with most powers moved to the Office of Fair & Safe Work Queensland.

•

Primary metal and metal product manufacturing

•

Fabricated metal product manufacturing

Claims history summary

•

Furniture and other manufacturing

•

Building construction

Assessment of permanent impairment

•

Heavy and civil engineering construction

The method used for determining permanent impairment and calculating statutory lump sum compensation will change from work related impairment (WRI) to degree of permanent impairment (DPI).

•

Construction services

An employer can apply to the Regulator for a copy of a prospective worker’s claims history summary. An application must be in the approved form, be accompanied by the application fee and be endorsed with the prospective worker’s consent.

•

Non-residential building construction.

An employer must not:

Changes effective 29 October 2013

•

Disclose to anyone else the contents of the information contained in the summary

Changes effective 15 October 2013

Degree of permanent impairment

Definition of injury

•

Give access to the document to anyone else

Applying to injuries sustained from 15 October 2013, a worker must receive a DPI greater than 5% in order to access common law damages.

For physical injuries the definition remains unchanged, with employment needing to be a ‘significant contributing factor to the injury’.

•

Use the contents of or information contained in the summary for any purpose other than those related to the ‘employment process’.

For injuries that have been sustained over a period of time, the date of injury is taken to be the initial consultation date with a health practitioner for the injury.

The definition of injury in relation to a psychiatric or psychological disorder has been amended to require employment to be the ‘major significant contributing factor to the injury’. This includes claims for aggravations of pre-existing conditions.

Rehabilitation and return to work coordinators The requirement to have a rehabilitation and return to work coordinator (RRTWC) has changed. An employer is obliged to appoint a RRTWC if: •

•

They are in a high risk industry and have paid wages in Queensland for the preceding financial year greater than 2,600 times Queensland ordinary time earnings (QOTE); or They are not in a high risk industry and have paid wages in Queensland for the preceding financial year greater than 5,200 times QOTE to appoint a RRTWC.

A RRTWC is no longer required to complete a workplace rehabilitation course through a registered training organisation; however they must be appropriately qualified.

For 2013–14 QOTE is $1,370.10.

High risk industry includes: •

Wood product manufacturing

Disclosure of pre-existing injuries For ‘employment processes’ undertaken from 29 October 2013 employers can request a prospective worker to provide information about pre-existing injuries or medical conditions that a person suspects, or ought reasonably to suspect, would be aggravated by performing the duties of the role in which they are applying.

The request is to be accompanied by specific information about the duties of the role and the ramifications if the worker fails to disclose their conditions.

If a worker has knowingly made a false or misleading disclosure about an injury

Mandatory accredited return to work program Insurers must take all reasonable steps to secure the rehabilitation and early return to suitable duties of workers receiving compensation in consultation with the worker, employer and treatment providers.

If a worker lodges a notice of claim, the insurer must refer the worker to an accredited return to work program, unless their injury is such that the worker would be unable to participate in the program.

For further information, contact Master Builders on (07) 3225 6407 or email workplacerelations@masterbuilders.asn.au Disclaimer: This information is provided as general advice on the workplace relations system.

It does not constitute legal advice and it is always advisable to seek further information regarding specific workplace relations issues.

Q-COMP WILL BE REPLACED WITH THE WORKERS’ COMPENSATION REGULATOR december 13/january 14

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Employment & wages Dean Cameron – Principal Advisor Workplace Relations

Changes to ‘worker’ definition: six months on The Queensland Government introduced a new definition of ‘worker’ for the workers’ compensation and rehabilitation scheme from 1 July 2013 in Queensland.

The new definition of a worker has been operating for six months now, which removed the failed Results Test and the Majority Labor Only Test.

Members agree that the changes are delivering a significant improvement for the industry by aligning with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) definition of employee/contractor.

The new definition of worker introduced from 1 July 2013 is: A person who works under a contract and, in relation to the work, is an employee for the

purpose of assessment for PAYG withholding under the Taxation Administration Act 1953 (Cwlth), schedule 1, part 2-5.

This applies to a person for whom PAYG (pay as you go) tax installments are required or would be required to be withheld by their employer.

ATO guidelines & tools The ATO website provides guidelines for determining employee/contractor status.

WorkCover will use the ATO guidelines and tools to determine who should be covered for workers’ compensation.

Note: After using the online tool, employers MUST keep a copy of the determination as a record.

Master Builders recommends you take reasonable care when using the ATO decision tools to identify who is/is not a worker. For example, the relationship between an employer and an individual may change over time and, accordingly, care needs to be taken that any changes are reflected in the wages declared to WorkCover.

The ATO decision tool (building and construction industry – employee/contractor decision tool) is clearly a complex decision tool with significant anomalies. As such, we recommend you maintain a default minimum policy with WorkCover Queensland at all times to prevent being uninsured.

For more information, contact Master Builders on (07) 3225 6407 or email workplacerelations@masterbuilders.asn.au

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION GENERAL ON-SITE AWARD 2010 A special Master Builders edition of the Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2010, including interpretation of complex clauses.

Cost Member $55 (including GST)

Ordering a manual Call (07) 3225 6444 or go to www.masterbuilders.asn.au.

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[ 30 ] december 13/january 14

QMBA-14356 09-11

Non-member $110 (including GST)

Employment & wages Dean Cameron â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Principal Advisor Workplace Relations

Obligation of trust & confidence now an implied term The full Federal Court recently handed down a decision that has implied a new term into all employment agreements.

In the case CBA v Barker [2013] FCAFC 83, a full Federal Court found that there is an implied term of mutual trust and confidence in all Australian employment contracts. Contravention of the term will give grounds to seek damages for breach of contract.

provided access to and/or not followed in the workplace, will have limited value when you need it most. Policies and procedures are key business tools to manage your workplaces â&#x20AC;&#x201C; not simply window dressing for tender submissions.

The implication otherwise means that all employers should adhere to workplace policies and act in accordance with contracts of employment. Grievance and other matters must be dealt with in accordance with the principles of natural justice.

The 2013 revised Master Builders Human Resources Manuall assists members to easily establish and publish internal policies and procedures. Members have embraced the HR manual over recent years as a quick and effective way to introduce or update their policies and procedures. The manual includes easy-to-use templates and letters that can be customised to your business in minutes, and Master Builders staff are always on hand to review your finalised documents for peace of mind.

Master Builders recommends you review your policies annually, with systematic staff inductions on a periodic basis. A policy or procedure manual that staff have not been inducted on, not

To purchase the HR manual, visit www.masterbuilders.asn.au/shop

This development, which follows a similar judicial finding in the UK, means that, without being expressly stated, it is automatically implied that employers and employees will not, without reasonable cause, conduct themself in a manner likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of confidence and trust between the employer and employee. The term may be expressly excluded.

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Employment & wages

Government to stamp out right of entry abuses Proposed amendments to the Work Health and Safety Act will better protect worksites across Queensland.

The proposed amendments will stop unions barging their way onto sites without proper authority or prior notification. Work Health and Safety Inspectors will also have greater involvement if safety issues cannot be resolved. Master Builders has been advocating for these changes for some time now.

The Attorney-General, the Hon. Jarrod Bleijie MP announced the changes at Master Builders Annual Dinner and State Housing & Construction Awards in Brisbane on 4 October.

The Attorney-General said amendments to the Act would stop unions bringing construction sites to a halt while ensuring legitimate safety issues are appropriately addressed by the regulator.

Queensland has led the way with these changes, and Master Builders Australia is now calling for similar provisions to be adopted by other state and territory jurisdictions.

Read more about the changes in the Attorney-Generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s column on page 8.

EXCAVATION

WORK IN PROGRESS

NO SIGN? PAY THE FINE Certain signage is required on site under work health and safety legislation.

If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have it, you may be liable for a variety of penalties including on-the-spot fines.

Master Builders discount signage can help you avoid fines and non-compliance. For signs that start at just $13.00, call Master Builders on 1300 30 50 10 or visit our website at www.masterbuilders.asn.au/eshop/signage to purchase online.

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[ 32 ] december 13/january 14

Contracts & disputes Gary Thompson – Mitchell Brandtman

Balancing risk for return The impact of fierce competition on construction costs and how early risk profiling can minimise disputes that typically arise in a lean market.

Within the construction industry, whether you are a financier, owner, contractor or subcontractor, the ability to turn a construction project into a profitable venture relies heavily on the management of risk, and how the assignment of this risk is allocated within the contract or agreement that binds the parties.

It is no secret that both the residential and commercial construction and development sectors are competitive; arguably the most competitive they have been for over a decade. This brings to a project a different set of challenges and risks that must be understood and planned for.

Competition is healthy in any market. Fierce competition – the likes of which we are seeing today – from contractors and subcontractors, heightens the risk to all parties involved. There is a greater likelihood of companies ‘buying’ new work to preserve cash flow. On the face of it there may be a sense that this brings reduced construction prices.

In reality it greatly limits a contractor’s and/or subcontractor’s ability to deal with problems that arise and, more importantly, increases the likelihood of raising claims to recoup losses quickly, potentially endorsing ‘claimsmanship’ behaviour.

Within Queensland’s LNG and coal construction projects, we have also seen significant blow outs in project costs and construction periods over recent years. Given the international influences and changes in China’s economic outlook, we are beginning to see prices falling and project costs rising. The subsequent effect means stricter budgetary controls to curtail over spending. This has directly affected the flow of money both in and out of Australia’s top construction companies and has also resulted in a rise in the number and value of disputes between parties.

As owners and financiers continue to tighten their grip on cost control, we can expect these disputes to grow.

BCIPA’s widening gap When we look at the claims arising under the Building and Construction Industry Payments Act 2004 (BCIPA) it is clear that there is continued activity in utilising this resource to resolve small claims quickly and for more than 60% of claims under $25,000, adjudicated amounts are for the full value of the claim. Subcontractors continue to make up the largest group of claimants at just over 62% of claims lodged at April YTD 2013.

Whilst contractor claims have dropped by 5%, head contractor claims have more than doubled since April 2012 from 2.4% of claimants to 6.3%.

Supplier claims are also on the rise.

Whilst we aren’t seeing any significant increases in the volume of claims arising over the last 12 months in comparison to recent years, what we are seeing is an increase in the value of the claims (almost double), and the widening gap between the amount claimed and the amount adjudicated and awarded. This is more prevalent at the high-value end where just over 5% of claims for over $500,000 were awarded in full as at April 2013, in comparison to 10% in the previous year and the total amount awarded in the last 12 months is just over half of the total value of the claims (Figure 1).

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[ 34 ] december 13/january 14

The BCIPA statistics seem to support the industry held view that subcontractors continue to see it as a quick resolution process that is likely to result in the majority of the claim being awarded, if not 100% of the claim. Whereas contractors and particularly head contractors see it as a last resort that generally signifies a breakdown in the relationship and the first step in an expensive exercise, which can be followed by a lengthy litigation battle should the adjudication decision be challenged.

It is important to consider the risks arising from using the BCIPA process when dealing with claims higher than $500,000.

Risk profiling & claims reductions When entering into a construction contract and making consideration on how to control costs and time, understanding and assessing the potential risks in the new contract is a fundamental step to achieving this goal. Although not every risk can be foreseen or accounted for, having mechanisms in place to mitigate risk will affect the bottom line figure of the project and minimise the disputes that may arise during the life of a project.

Early risk profiling by conducting the correct review and consideration of the contract conditions means liabilities of parties can be identified and clearly understood. Mitchell Brandtman can provide a comprehensive risk assessment delivering a ‘Risk and Opportunity Matrix’ on projects for owners or contractors at contract documentation stage and ideally prior to contract award. Identifying the construction risks means that determinations of the most suitable party to handle the risk can be made, and decisions on whether it is advantageous to retain it or transfer it can further mitigate any disputes.

Owners who take on risks that are outside the owner’s or contractor’s control may result in them saving on the contractor pricing the risk.

However, this false economy may also result in absorbing the costs of the risk at a later date. Transferring these risks results in the contractor having to make allowances in his costs for taking on the risk, and the contractor stands to benefit substantially if the particular item of risk does not occur during the course of the works.

In Queensland’s resources sector the majority of the large approved projects are already let. The focus in the region now shifts to delivery and it is in managing the regions’ changing logistics in relation to supply

WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF THE CLAIMS (ALMOST DOUBLE), AND THE WIDENING GAP BETWEEN THE AMOUNT CLAIMED AND THE AMOUNT ADJUDICATED AND AWARDED.

Contracts & disputes

and labour availability that is likely to result in delays and variation claims. Conducting an early and comprehensive risk assessment will account for these unique issues to mitigate losses and minimise the escalation of disputes.

A collaborative approach to risk is often the best method to manage it effectively. Risk profiling at the early stages, with a keen focus on the contract documentation prior to tendering, will provide greater control over the project and mitigate claims and disputes during construction – whether that be for general commercial projects or those set within the resources sector. It is crucial for all parties to gain an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the contract and ensure that the appropriate contract administration processes are implemented to deliver the project on time, within budget and as an expected return on investment.

Gary Thompson provides expert opinion on matters relating to project development with a key focus on costs and quality. Gary’s many years owning and operating a construction business provides valuable awareness and understanding of the construction environment. His 28 years of sector experience is diverse and includes health care, residential, commercial and retail developments.

Figure 2: Mitchell Brandtman’s Risk and Opportunity Matrix

Balancing risk for return Understanding the fierce nature of a competitive environment can be a competitive advantage in itself. There are good gains to be made if risk is understood, shared and allocated correctly through clear and tight contracts and conditions.

For more information on project risk assessments and the risk and opportunities matrix, contact Gary Thompson, Mitchell Brandtman on (07) 3327 5000.

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Contracts & disputes Tom Adames, Partner & Will Golinelli, Solicitor – Gadens

Disputes about dividing fences & pool barriers such as mediation or a compulsory conference.

This is to try to resolve the dispute at the earliest possible opportunity.

What is a dividing fence?

The Act defines a dividing fence as: …a structure, ditch or embankment, or a hedge or similar vegetative barrier, enclosing or bounding land, whether or not continuous or extending along the entire boundary separating the land of adjoining owners, and includes: a) A gate, cattle grid or apparatus necessary for the operation of a fence; and b) A natural or artificial watercourse separating the land of adjoining owners; and

On 1 November 2011 the Dividing Fences Act was repealed and replaced by the Neighbourhood Disputes (Dividing Fences and Trees) Act. The Act aims to provide additional options and more effective remedies for neighbours involved in disputes about dividing fences.

As a brief overview, the Act includes: •

A wider definition of ‘fence’ (including hedges)

•

A clearer definition of ‘sufficient dividing fence’

•

A single ‘Notice for contribution to fencing work’ form

•

Clarification that the ownership of the dividing fence on a common boundary is shared equally

•

A distinction between a retaining wall and a fence (i.e. a retaining wall is not a fence).

Jurisdiction The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) hears most disputes relating to dividing fences. The aim of QCAT is for people to appear themselves (i.e. without a lawyer), making the process a more cost-effective way to resolve disputes of this nature.

There are two types of disputes relating to dividing fences that can be brought before QCAT, being: 1) Minor civil dispute – dividing fences (factual disputes)

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[ 36 ] december 13/january 14

2) Minor civil dispute – debt dispute (when recovering a debt for fencing work based on an agreed amount up to $25,000).

The Magistrates Court has jurisdiction to hear disputes where the amount of the debt exceeds $25,000.

How to file an application with QCAT The relevant forms for filing an application for the above types of disputes are the Form 53 and Form 3 respectively.

The QCAT application fees (as at October 2013) for the above types of matters range from $22.20 to $284.60, depending on the amount in dispute.

Once an application has been lodged with QCAT, the parties will receive a notice to attend some form of alternative dispute resolution,

c) A foundation or support built solely for the support and maintenance of the fence.

However, a fence is not – a) A retaining wall; or b) A wall that is part of a house, garage or other building.

A dividing fence is constructed on the common boundary line of adjoining land. Sometimes a dividing fence can be built off the common boundary line when it is impractical due to the physical features of the land. For example, if a large tree that both neighbours wanted to keep is sitting on the boundary line, it may be decided that the dividing fence will need to be built on one neighbour’s land.

What is a retaining wall?

Retaining walls serve a different purpose than a fence, and are not considered to be a fence for the purposes of the Act. A retaining wall is built to support earth material and is for the benefit of one neighbour only. Consequently, the cost of constructing and/or repairing a retaining wall will be that owner’s sole responsibility.

Retaining walls are usually subject to special building and engineering requirements.

GENERALLY, NEIGHBOURS MUST CONTRIBUTE EQUALLY TO THE COST OF BUILDING AND MAINTAINING A DIVIDING FENCE.

Contracts & disputes

Although retaining walls are excluded under the Act, QCAT does have some power to make orders about retaining walls where a fence otherwise cannot be repaired. The Act also does not apply to a fence or part of a fence that is a barrier of a regulated pool (see below for more detail).

Who owns a fence?

The Act maintains the common law position that a dividing fence is owned equally by the adjoining neighbours if it is built on the common boundary line. However, a fence or part of a fence that is built on one neighbour’s land is owned by that neighbour, even if the other neighbour contributed to the construction of the fence.

The basic rules for dividing fences are as follows: •

There should be a sufficient dividing fence between two parcels of land if an adjoining owner requests one (even if vacant land).

and specify the materials that will be used. The proposed pool barrier must be consistent with the existing fence (e.g. similar materials and colours), unless this would prevent the fence from complying with the pool safety standard.

QCAT has clarified a number of common queries relating to the laws regarding swimming pool fences as follows.

Who is responsible for the cost of fencing work?

The pool laws adopt a ‘user pays’ system. Where the fencing work is required for a pool fence to be compliant with the pool safety laws, the full cost is borne by the pool owner. If there is a pool on both sides of the dividing fence and both pool owners need the change to make the barrier compliant with the regulations, the cost is shared equally.

•

Generally, neighbours must contribute equally to the cost of building and maintaining a dividing fence.

•

Dividing fences should not have anything attached to them that is unreasonable and materially alters or damages the fence.

However, where one pool owner requires fencing work and the other pool owner does not, the costs are borne solely by the pool owner requiring the changes. Details about the costs associated with the fencing work should also be provided to the neighbour in the abovementioned Form 39.

•

If a property is tenanted and there is a dispute about a dividing fence, the issue should be referred to the owner or property agent to deal with.

What happens if neighbours cannot agree on how to share the cost of fencing work?

•

If both neighbours do not want a dividing fence, or the land in question is public or agricultural land, a dividing fence is not required.

•

If one neighbour wants to have more work done on a dividing fence than is reasonably required then they will be liable to pay the extra costs (e.g. if one neighbour wants an ‘upmarket’ fence or a higher than standard fence for privacy or security reasons).

Pools & fences Very specific obligations are imposed on the owner of land with a regulated pool (defined in the Building Act). These obligations differ greatly from the obligations of a standard landowner under the Act and as such are regulated in the Building Act. All laws relating to swimming pool fences (even if they are also a dividing fence) are now found in the Building Act. Under the Building Act, if a swimming pool fence is also a dividing fence, the owner of the pool will be liable to pay the costs of any changes to the fence that may be required over and above a sufficient dividing fence.

The Building Act provides that pool owners must give neighbours notices about proposed work at least 14 days prior to undertaking any work. The Notice (Form 39 – notice of proposed fencing work for a pool barrier) must include information on the type of fence proposed

If, one month after the Form 39 is given, the neighbour and the pool owner have not agreed about the proposed fencing work or the contributions to the proposed fencing work, the neighbour or pool owner may apply to QCAT to make a decision, but it must be made within two months of the Form 39 being given. If this time limitation is not adhered to, it is advised that the pool owner re-issue the Form 39 to the neighbour.

There is no fence along the common boundary line and an owner wants to construct a pool barrier. What does the pool owner need to do?

cement, concrete blocks and other material from which a dividing fence is ordinarily constructed. Given the necessary safety requirements relating to pool fences, hedges and vegetative barriers are insufficient to meet the requirements of the pool safety standard.

What happens if a notice is not given?

Where the pool owner commences work without giving proper notice, this fencing work is considered unauthorised. In this situation, the neighbour may apply to QCAT for an order preventing the pool owner from continuing.

Can a neighbour stop a pool owner from replacing the fence?

If a pool owner proposes to significantly vary an existing fence, they must obtain consent from their neighbour or obtain an order from QCAT allowing them to build a different type of fence. The neighbour is then able to paint or otherwise change the appearance of their side of the fence, as long as they do not materially alter or damage the fence.

What are the rules for buildings that are built on the common boundary?

The wall of a building on a common boundary (for example, where the house’s wall is right on the boundary) may be used as part of a pool barrier if it complies with the pool safety standard. However, a pool owner is prohibited from altering the building without the owner’s consent. Where any part of the wall does not meet the requirements of the pool safety standard, the pool owner will need to construct a separate barrier, unless the neighbour agrees to changes to the wall.

For more information about dividing fences & pool barriers, contact Tom Adames, on (07) 3223 4702 or tadames@qld.gadens.com.au

Where no fence exists, the pool owner or proposed pool owner may construct part of a pool barrier along the common boundary without agreement from the adjoining owner.

However, the pool owner or proposed pool owner must still provide the neighbour with a Form 39 notice about proposed work at least 14 days prior to undertaking any work, and the pool fence can only be made from the prescribed materials.

What are the prescribed materials?

For the purpose of constructing a pool barrier, prescribed materials include wood, chain wire, metal panels or rods, bricks, rendered december 13/january 14

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Building & planning Tony Mitchell â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Manager Building Services

Doors & windows onto external waterproofed areas The Australian Standard includes options for doors and windows that adjoin external water proofed areas, such as balconies, patios and verandahs to a building.

The Australian Standard AS 4654.2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2012 Waterproofing membranes for external above-ground use was referenced within the National Construction Code (NCC) on 1 May 2013.

A brief overview of the standard was provided in the August/September 2013 edition of Master Builderr magazine. In this edition, we look closer at the options within the standard for doors and windows that adjoin external water proofed areas, such as balconies, patios and verandahs to a building.

The standard contains several illustrated figures described as typical acceptable methods for doors and windows to these areas. Building contractors should be mindful that these acceptable methods do not exclude the use of other proven systems.

It is important to understand that the selection and/or modification of an acceptable method should be made in consideration of the various situations that can impact on its performance. This may include the building design, location, weather exposure, form of construction, designated floor finishes, threshold levels and drainage provisions.

Added to this, the limitations and problems associated with the supervision of building works and the entire process can prove to be a challenging exercise.

Poor installation and detailing at the sill/ floor junction can allow moisture ingress through and under the sill sections of the door and window joinery itself. This can cause substantial damage to adjoining finishes, structural members and underlying areas.

Rectification can be a costly exercise with the added frustration of having to manage a disgruntled owner and/or unhappy tenant to arrange access, subcontractors and materials for the remedial works.

As they say, prevention is far better than the cure. With this in mind it is worthwhile to restate the obvious. This being the performance and detailing requirements that are so often overlooked.

Performance & detailing The NCC requires that a building is constructed to safeguard occupants from illness and/or injury and protect the building from damage caused by external moisture entering a building.

The NCC gives reference to AS 4654.2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2012 Waterproofing membranes for external aboveground use making it the Deemed to Satisfy Provision, which prescribes the detailing required to comply with the building code.

The objective of the standard is to provide a consistent and reliable approach to the design and installation of external waterproofing membrane systems. To ensure the integrity and serviceability of the membrane systems, the installation and detailing of doors and windows onto these areas is a critical aspect.

Sill sections Upon that basis, it is necessary to situate the sill section of the door/window joinery entirely within a tanked (membrane coated) profile at the floor junction, which will then direct moisture to the exterior of the structure without damage to the adjacent building components.

It is recommended that all openings onto external waterproofed areas are provided with a set down or hob to provide a vertical surface of sufficient dimension upon which to terminate the membrane.

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[ 38 ] december 13/january 14

Building & planning

The sill/floor junction should also include a membrane under the entire sill section, which continues around the back of the sill up onto the face of a water stop angle. It is essential that any sub-sill flashing utilised to this area actually forms an integral part of the waterproof membrane.

Alternatively, a preformed rebate in the concrete slab with an upstand with a similarly detailed waterproof membrane that returns up behind the sill section is a good option.

Effectively the membrane and joinery detailing should cause any moisture ingress to be drained externally via the weep holes and membrane. It is absolutely critical that the fixing method for the joinery that penetrates through and breaches the membrane is adequately sealed.

Upward terminations The standard also provides guidance for vertical upward termination heights of these membranes to prevent water entry. Where the internal and external finished floor levels do not allow for an upturn, the membranes shall be fixed under the sill and terminate in the stormwater system.

Where circumstances do not permit the inclusion of a set down or hob (e.g. for wheelchair access), a gutter should be formed into the substrate immediately in front of the opening. Consideration should also be given to installing a continuous membrane to the reveals, head and sill sections of all exterior openings within single skin masonry construction to integrate with the waterproofed profile at the floor junction.

In summary Building contractors are responsible for providing and installing waterproofing systems in external locations that prevent the ingress of water, which may degrade structural components or cause detriment to the occupants.

The revised Australian Standard AS 4654.2â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2012 Waterproofing membranes for external aboveground use provides specific advice that will assist contractors in providing deemed to satisfy construction detailing.

Contractors who perform building work involving waterproofing membranes in external locations are advised to purchase the standard. The detailing within the standard may be used as a reference document pursuant to the contract and for the supervision of works during the course of construction.

For more information about external waterproofing requirements, call Master Builders on (07) 3225 6419 or email technical@masterbuilders.asn.au

The law has changed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has your business?

Master Builders Human Resources Manual is the essential step by step guide to managing your workforce and complying with legal obligations on employment.

With policies, procedures es and a electronic templates, the manual is designed specifically for use by payroll staff, supervisors and managers in the building and construction on iindustry.

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december 13/january 14

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Building & planning Kathryn Walker – Partner, Lynch Meyer

Shall we BIM? Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been described as many things, from a tool to cut down on rework, improve productivity and assist with clash deletion, to a minefield of liability. Whatever your view of BIM, it is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future.

•

Who will be responsible for inputting data into the model?

•

Who can make changes to the model?

•

How variations will be managed and added to the model?

By its nature, BIM is a collaborative process used to create a three dimensional digital model from multiple data sources, which can be shared between all stakeholders and maintained across the life of a building. The objective of BIM is to move away from the two dimensional hardcopy drawing model to an electronic model where specifications and technical data can be used to create an actual depiction of the working building.

•

If multiple models are used, which model takes priority?

•

Who is to maintain the integrity of the various versions of the model as the project evolves?

•

What will happen if there are software issues during the project?

It is the collaborative evolving nature of BIM that makes our eyes bulge with ‘what ifs’ and which gives rise to the need for some specific legal considerations that need to be addressed at the start of a project to ensure that the participants in the BIM process maintain their rights and share the responsibilities.

We all know that architects, engineers and designers have multiple working drawings that are never intended to be shared with others.

What is unique about BIM is that those working drawings will now form part of an interactive, multi-use model, which will be available from the inception of the project to its conclusion, and well beyond.

How then can you manage that process so that you have some level of comfort about where, how, and who is using and manipulating your data? How can you maintain a level of control over your intellectual property and your exposure to the mistakes of others? The answer is to define how BIM will work on your project.

To do that, there are four key areas that should be considered in contractual negotiations for the use of BIM.

1. Contractual requirements & responsibilities It will not be surprising to the reader to see that contractual requirements are at the top of the list when it comes to BIM. Projects using BIM must establish a clear protocol for its use which is accepted by all those contributing to (and drawing on) the model. When entering into a contract that requires the use of BIM, make sure that the contract specifically addresses:

As part of managing these considerations, the new role of ‘model manager’ should be created and defined. The model manager ought be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the model and for managing access, security, transmission, backup files, and determining who will input the data and how. The model manager should keep a clear audit trail of who inputs what into the model and all versions of the model should be kept, so that any errors can be tracked to a point in time.

Following the above processes will ensure that multiple inputs do not corrupt the integrity of the model.

The collaborative approach of BIM means that related rights and obligations associated with BIM should flow through to all of the contracts and subcontracts on a project to ensure that the same rights and obligations are imposed upon all parties providing information for the model. So make sure you have the right contract terms in your ‘downstream’ contracts with your subcontractors.

Importantly, your contract documents must make it clear that, despite the collaborative nature of BIM, no contractual privity is intended between the participants (i.e. you don’t want to create a contract with, for example, the principal if you are a subcontractor).

•

How BIM will work on the project?

•

What software and hardware will be used for the model?

In circumstances where clients are requesting that the model be handed over at the end

[ 40 ] december 13/january 14

You should consider: •

Who holds the intellectual property rights and how, and on what basis, they will be shared or used in future

•

Whether licences are required and, if so, what those licences are and on what basis they might be suspended or terminated

•

How joint authorship of data will be managed

•

What happens at handover, how will the consent of all joint owners of the intellectual property be given to enable the model to be provided to (and used by) the owners.

3. Liability & indemnities Looking at the way BIM works, liability apportionment and indemnities in respect of design errors or data input errors need to be clearly defined. Establishing the extent to which participants can rely on each other’s contribution, how the quality of contributions will be verified, and excluding responsibility for checking others’ contributions, needs to be clearly spelt out.

Your contract should address: •

Where a liability starts and where it ends

•

That each party is responsible only for the data they provide and for any errors in that data

•

An express exclusion that the model manager is not responsible for checking the entries of other parties or for verifying the specification material provided by the various manufacturers

•

Indemnities in respect of, and statements of use, for future owners

•

The status of third party rights and that BIM is not intended to create any contractual relationship with third party beneficiaries

•

Indemnities from all parties in respect of any third party intellectual property disputes

•

Releases and indemnities for modifications to the handover version of the model

•

Clearly defined parameters for extension of time claims where one participant delays the BIM process (and hence the project)

•

Strictly defined liquidated damages provisions for each participant.

2. Intellectual property & copyright BIM deals with intellectual property rights. As such, it is necessary for appropriate approvals and access rights to be granted from and to all parties involved in the BIM model process.

Permission will be needed to use individual parts of the model and approval should be granted for that use in the contractual documentation at the start of the project.

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of the project, protecting your intellectual property for the life of the project – and beyond – becomes an important consideration.

Building & planning

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Once you have defined the scope of work and roles of the participants it is important that you ensure that your insurance policy covers you for the use of BIM. While BIM is not intended to alter the usual standard of care to be imposed by the various contractors on a site, you should check if your insurance covers the use of BIM and that it does not expressly exclude its use.

Remembering that BIM is intended to be collaborative, ask your insurer questions like: â&#x20AC;˘

Does the policy allow for collaboration of contractors?

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Can there be more than one insured?

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Are we covered for the mistakes of others for data errors in the model?

â&#x20AC;˘

Will the insurer consider the work to be design and, if so, are we covered for design (usually this requires cover for professional indemnity)?

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Are we covered for the input of data into the model?

Are risk allocation and indemnity clauses allowed under the policy?

BIM has a long history in the United States and the United Kingdom and there have been very few problems. In fact, to date, there is only one case where an architect has been sued in relation to BIM. That case settled on confidential terms and little is known about the facts. What has emerged is that it appears that the architect, who designed a roof space storage area for plant and services, did so on the basis of a specific sequencing for the installation. That sequencing was not communicated to the builder and once the building had been built the plant and services did not fit. The industry has put the claim down to more of a communication issue than a complaint against the BIM process.

BIM has the potential to provide better outcomes through collaboration, provide greater predictability and reduce delays, safety risks and variations. If you take the time to clearly define how BIM will work on your project, protect your intellectual property and limit your exposure, there is no reason why the answer to the question â&#x20AC;&#x153;shall we BIM?â&#x20AC;? should not be â&#x20AC;&#x153;yesâ&#x20AC;?.

Kathryn Walker is a litigator and strategic advisor specialising in building and construction and environment and planning law.

BIM DEALS WITH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NECESSARY FOR APPROPRIATE APPROVALS AND ACCESS RIGHTS TO BE GRANTED FROM AND TO ALL PARTIES INVOLVED.

Specialist contracts staff on hand â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but only when you need them As a Master Builders member, you can buy a contract and receive back up advice from our specialist staff.

Master Builders has developed a range of contracts that allocate risk fairly between builders and subcontractors and builders and their clients.

Along with that contract, you can also access our specialist advice that relates to: â&#x20AC;˘

Suitability of contracts

â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;˘

Contract terms and conditions

Extension of time claims and preparation

â&#x20AC;˘

Legislation affecting contracts

â&#x20AC;˘

Tender procedures

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Tender documents

â&#x20AC;˘

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Progress claims entitlements and preparation Variation claims and preparation

To order online, visit www.masterbuilders.asn.au/eshop.

Alternatively call 1300 30 50 10 for more information.

X X X P C S J F O M B X D P N B V

4. Insurance implications & requirements

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[ 41 ]

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Building & planning Karen Haworth – Manager Planning Services

State planning policies Interests of the state The interests of the state, which are relevant to our industry, can be found in the following five groups of the draft SPP: 1. Housing and Liveable Communities – covers amenity and community wellbeing 2. Economic Growth – covers agriculture, development and construction, mining and extractive resources and the tourism industry 3. Environment and Heritage – covers biodiversity, coastal environment, cultural heritage and healthy waters 4. Hazards and Safety – covers air, noise and other emissions, hazardous materials and development and natural hazards

State planning policies are planning instruments that can protect the interests of the state, and are typically developed by or in conjunction with the planning minister.

5. Transport and Infrastructure – covers state infrastructure and services, serious state transport infrastructure and networks, strategic airports and aviation facilities, strategic ports, water supply catchments and infrastructure.

Purpose of the SPP

Compiling state interests into groups and expressing the state’s interest in planning and development in a single policy will make it easier for local governments to reflect and balance interests in their local planning. It will also encourage flexible, innovative and locally appropriate approaches to planning and be supported by tools and guidance material to assist implementation.

The draft SPP sets outs policies that identify the state’s interests in planning and development, and how these are to be dealt with in planning instruments, council development assessment processes and in designating land for community infrastructure.

The end result is to produce a prosperous Queensland with a clear vision of future needs in planning and development.

The SPP will provide the tools to empower and support local governments to make the right planning decisions for their community and to implement state interests in the way that best suits community needs.

For more information, call Master Builders on (07) 3225 6419 or email housing@masterbuilders.asn.au

The Queensland Government has established a new approach to planning by implementing a single policy, which will replace the various current state planning policies. The draft State Planning Policy (SPP) will be finalised, approved and ready for release before the end of 2013.

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[ 42 ] december 13/january 14

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Health, safety & environment Stephanie Gaylard – Manager Workplace Health & Safety

Preparing for hot conditions Heat stress is a serious health issue for building workers who work outdoors in hot conditions.

The danger periods when hot conditions impact on the industry are especially found in the months of December, January and February – so it is important that workers, subcontractors and project managers work together to manage exposure to hot conditions during this period.

to alleviate or mitigate the impact of hot conditions likely to hit sites over the coming months.

Consider the following: •

Rotate jobs in and out of the sun during peak sun exposure times (10am–2pm)

The main effects of heat stress can include fainting, cramps, exhaustion and stroke.

•

Avoid working in ceiling spaces in the middle of the day

Most construction workers will be exposed to working in the heat at some point; however, there are certain factors that can make individual workers more susceptible to heat stress, such as:

•

Encourage workers to drink 150–200mm of cool fluids every 15–20 minutes, rather than consuming a one litre drink every now and again

•

Instead of drinking tea, coffee or milk, encourage workers to drink water or a sports drink

•

If a worker is suffering from dehydration, ensuring they do not recommence work until they are fully rehydrated

•

Wear a hat or hard hat brim and neck flap to help minimise heat stress and sun protection

•

Factors that may cause dehydration, such as poor diet, vomiting, diarrhoea, or alcohol and caffeine consumption

•

Medical conditions, such as heart problems, diabetes and hypertension

•

Medication that may affect the body’s temperature regulation

•

Age, general physical fitness and weight.

All contractors are encouraged to re-familiarise themselves with inclement weather procedures that may be contained within their modern award or enterprise agreement, and take steps to minimise the effect of hot conditions.

Master Builders encourages all contractors to meet with their staff to discuss ways

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[ 44 ] december 13/january 14

•

Ensure air-conditioners in amenities sheds are functioning properly

•

Create shade (tarp, umbrella) or find a tree for rest breaks

•

Ensure that water coolers are functioning properly

•

Wear cooling vests and backpack-type hands-free water dispensers for extended periods of outdoor work during hot weather.

If workers are experiencing symptoms of heat exhaustion, such as feeling faint, dizzy or nauseated, it is important to stop and rest, drink more fluids and consider how the work could be rescheduled or managed more effectively.

Preventing heat stress through the implementation of some of the above options is the key.

For further advice on managing working in hot conditions contact Master Builders on (07) 3225 6404 or email whs@masterbuilders.asn.au

Health, safety & environment Stephanie Gaylard – Manager Workplace Health & Safety

Reducing musculoskeletal injuries in the plasterboard industry A recent campaign is helping to raise awareness about reducing injuries associated with hazardous manual tasks in the construction industry.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) have announced that reducing work related musculoskeletal disorders and the construction industry’s capacity to reduce risks associated with musculoskeletal disorders is a priority.

As part of this commitment, WHSQ have recently conducted a campaign on the manual handling of plasterboard between 2011 and 2013, with the purpose of raising awareness of hazardous manual tasks and reducing associated injuries across the construction industry, with a particular focus on handling plasterboard and other sheet materials.

Plasterboard was chosen as a focus due to its common use in the industry, as well as its size and the fact that it’s commonly handled in tight spaces with limited access.

Hazardous manual tasks are regulated by the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice 2011. Under this legislation, it is a requirement that a person who conducts a business or undertaking must manage risks to health and safety relating to musculoskeletal disorders that are associated with a hazardous manual task.

Many of the tasks undertaken in the construction industry could potentially be classed as a ‘hazardous’ manual task under this regulation. It can be any task that requires a person to lift, lower, push, pull, carry or otherwise move, hold or restrain any person, animal or thing involving one or more of the following: •

Repetitive or sustained force

•

High or sudden force

•

Repetitive movement

•

Sustained or awkward posture

•

Exposure to vibration.

During the campaign, 277 audits were conducted and overall feedback on the campaign has been positive. Inspectors observed tasks undertaken on various sites during site delivery, storage and movement

of plasterboard. The tasks were then assessed to determine how well hazardous manual task risks were being minimised, in particular whether industry was complying with controls outlined in the regulation.

•

Identify the hazardous manual tasks associated with the handling of plasterboard during the planning and design stage and consider the work area design, work processes and the choice of materials. These factors can have a significant impact on the number of manual tasks that workers are exposed to from the point of delivery through to the final installation of plasterboard.

•

Consult with relevant stakeholders, including the client, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, builders, subcontractors and workers, about the risks to workers when handling plasterboard and ways of controlling the risks.

•

Facilitate cooperation and coordination between stakeholders. The most effective way to manage hazardous manual tasks is for all stakeholders to work together. By drawing on the knowledge and experience of all involved, more informed decisions can be made to eliminate or minimise hazardous manual task risks. These designs need to be made at the design stage.

•

Improving access and space at the delivery site and ensuring the use of mechanical aids during unloading and delivery.

Following the completion of the campaign, a report was prepared outlining the campaign findings, areas for improvement and other recommendations.

Some of the key findings of the campaign included: •

87% of businesses had completed a procedure and/or risk assessment that included the hazardous manual task of handling plasterboard.

•

In 85.5% of businesses, the manual tasks risks had been identified in the procedure or risk assessment.

•

Across the whole industry, 57% of workers received manual tasks training based on the Hazardous Manual Tasks Code of Practice.

•

34% of workers received manual tasks training purely based on safe lifting techniques.

•

89% of workers are supervised to ensure safe work practices are followed.

•

43% of businesses reported that how their workers are paid can negatively affect the safety elements of tasks they are undertaking.

•

79% of workers stated that they were aware of the consultation mechanisms in place at their workplace.

WHSQ have prepared guidance material in consultation with industry, including sample safe work procedures and a builder’s checklist to assist with managing the handling of plasterboard on construction projects. These are available on Master Builders website, along with a copy of the campaign report.

For more information contact Master Builders on (07) 3225 6404 or email whs@masterbuilders.asn.au

It was identified that builders can play a significant role in reducing hazardous manual task risks associated with handling plasterboard and various recommendations have been put forward in the report to assist industry in better managing this issue.

Some of these recommendations include: •

Develop work-related musculoskeletal disorder prevention initiatives specifically for hazardous manual tasks. december 13/january 14

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Mastering your business Graeme Kent – Director Audit & Assurance Services, MGI South Qld

Cash is king! Strategies to manage your cash flow that debts are paid and regular cash flow is achieved.

•

Send invoices out immediately. Don’t wait to the end of the month if the work has been completed.

•

Bank daily.

•

Review aged debtors reports regularly and follow up when customers have fallen outside of their agreed credit terms.

3. Manage your stock efficiently

We’ve all heard the saying before: Cash is king! But what does it mean and why is it so important?

Cash is essentially the blood that pumps through the veins of a business and keeps it alive. In most businesses, both small and large, problems occur when cash flow is managed poorly and causes both owners and their employees significant stress. So in these more uncertain economic times, how does a business manage its cash flow to ensure its continued success?

2. Manage your debtors Debtor management is a key component of any business. A sale isn’t a ‘real’ sale until the cash is deposited into your account. Debtor management has become more critical than ever, given the slowdown in the economy and the reluctance of consumers and businesses alike to part with their cash.

A large amount of free cash flow can be ‘locked’ away in your inventory levels. However, the difficulty with stock management is that there is a fine line between having just enough stock on hand to meet the needs of your customers and having either too much or too little. In my experience the risk is that companies buy too much and are left with large amounts of excess stock, which end up being heavily discounted to sell or even worse, is written off and discarded.

So how do you improve your stock management? Some ways include: •

Have a regular review of stock levels.

Identify those lines that are not turning over regularly and look at discounting these to clear it from your storage facility.

•

Don’t buy too much, even if it’s offered at a discount. This could tie up unnecessary free cash flow and also increases the chance that you won’t be able to sell the stock.

Set minimum and maximum levels of stock lines and stay within these limits.

Some ways to improve your debtors include:

There are a number of simple strategies that can be used to help improve cash flow.

•

•

1. Project monthly sales/ prepare cash flow forecasts

Set credit limits for customers and monitor closely.

•

Conduct a credit check for all new customers.

4. Control your expenditure

•

Offer a discount for paying invoices early.

For example, look at your recent rates bill – Council gives you a discount if you pay on time and is hugely successful in ensuring

Cash flow is all about timing: when your sales are likely to come in and when your expenses are likely to go out. A business can be profitable from an accounting perspective, yet still have cash flow problems.

To assist with cash inflows, a cash flow forecast on the timing of sales is an important tool.

This will identify those months where cash flow could become tight and allow you to manage cash outflows. When preparing cash flow forecasts, it’s important to be realistic rather than overly optimistic. Use a worst-case scenario, review regularly and update when circumstances change.

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[ 46 ] december 13/january 14

Regularly reviewing your expenditures is a must. Have a rolling budget and compare these to prior periods. If any expenditure is significantly different to what you budgeted for, investigate why.

CASH FLOW IS ALL ABOUT TIMING: WHEN YOUR SALES ARE LIKELY TO COME IN AND WHEN YOUR EXPENSES ARE LIKELY TO GO OUT.

Mastering your business

Other ways to control your expenses include: •

•

•

Always look at ways to cut your expenditure. Have your staff look out as well and assist you in this role.

Require quotes for any major expenditure.

Always seek fixed prices to know exactly what cash flows you are likely to face and whether the company can afford it.

Prepare regular financial reports – always know how the business is tracking.

•

Negotiate with your suppliers a discount for paying early or up-front.

•

Always pay your creditors on the day the invoice is due – don’t pay early or late.

•

Negotiate longer payment terms on a payment plan if cash flow is tight. Many businesses will be happy to put you on a payment plan if they can see that you are going to pay your bill. The sooner you talk to them about this, the easier it is.

5. Watch the timing of your cash outlays

6. Remember your tax obligations & its impact on cash flow

Cash outflows are an area in which you have a greater level of control. Look at ways to minimise outflows and try to have these reflect your cash inflows. For example, if you know your business is seasonal and achieves most of its cash flows in the first half of the year, try to match your largest expenditure items when cash flow is easily accessible.

While no one particularly likes paying tax, it is part of any successful business. A business paying tax is a profitable business and I would much prefer to be paying tax than having a large amount of carried forward tax losses.

However, this doesn’t make it any easier when you are required to send that cheque to the ATO with your BAS.

Other ways to improve the timing of your cash outlays include:

Tax commitments, whether GST, income tax, PAYG or FBT instalments can be quite

substantial and can cause businesses cash flow issues if funds are not put away regularly.

Adjust the amount that is put away depending on the level of sales/profit that the business generates each month.

7. Adjust for growth It is critically important to understand the additional cash flow required when a business is growing. Many successful businesses fail by not having sufficient cash to fund their growth operations, which can leave the business vulnerable. New sales generally require additional resources, such as new equipment, employees, marketing and potentially larger premises. This increase in fixed costs can occur even before new cash flows from expansion have even begun.

Whether the plan is to have the status quo or to enter into a growth phase, a cash flow strategy is a must for any business.

By managing your cash flow you will ensure that the business remains successful and reduce stress. As the saying goes: Cash is king!

december 13/january 14

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Mastering your business

Top 5 Microsoft Excel tips you probably don’t know There are so many hidden features in Excel, it could take a lifetime to learn them all. Thankfully, Odyssey Training have done the hard work for you, and have come up with five very helpful Microsoft Excel tips to resolve some of the questions you never even knew to ask about Excel.

Tip 1: Viewing multiple sheets of the same workbook Have you ever wanted to see the content of two sheets of the same workbook side by side at once? From the View tab, click New Window.

This opens another window, with the same file viewed again. Click Arrange All, choose Tiled, and the file will appear twice, side by side.

Click on another sheet in the second window to view its contents.

The text will look centred, but all the other cells will need to remain blank for the illusion to remain.

Tip 4: Using outlines to hide content quickly Are you always hiding/unhiding rows and columns for printing or displaying your content in presentations? Why not use an Outline instead? One click and you can easily hide or unhide specific content.

Select the columns or rows to hide.

From the Data tab on the ribbon, select Group. The outline appears across the top or down the side.

Click the outline buttons to show/hide rows or columns as you need them.

It’s important to note this isn’t a copy of the file, just another ‘view’. Changes made in one side of the screen are made in the other, too. To return to normal, simply close one of the windows, and maximise the screen again.

Tip 2: Make a message pop up when a cell is selected You could use a comment to add a message to a cell, but then you need to click on the comment marker to read the message. If you want to always display the message when the cell is selected, try using an Input Message.

Select your cell, and from the Data tab of the ribbon, select Data Validation.

Click on the Input Message tab, and type the message to appear. Click OK and the message will always pop up when the cell becomes active.

Tip 5: Quickly display formulas When confronted with a spreadsheet that you’ve not seen before, it can be daunting to locate all the cells containing formulas. Press the CTRL+` keys (HINT: the ` is to the left of the 1 on most keyboards). All cells containing formulas will display the formula in cell! Press it again to go back to normal. Use this to locate and view formulas, and even print them.

Ok, we lied, there is one more tip. What if you want to quickly select all the cells containing formulas? Simply press F5, then click Special, and choose Formulas. All cells containing formulas will be selected!

Tip 3: Centre cells across selection Are you tired of getting error messages about merged cells? Merged cells can make your worksheet look good, but when you start to copy and paste, and the ghastly “Can’t copy part of a merged cell” message appears. There is a little used feature that lets you centre text across multiple cells, without actually merging them. But this feature only works when you want to merge across columns. There is no way to do this for merging down.

Finally…

Type your heading in the leftmost cell. Select the range of cells you want to centre across. From the Home tab, Alignment group, click the dialog box launcher. Select the Horizontal alignment and choose – Center Across Selection.

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[ 48 ] december 13/january 14

There are dozens of ways to quickly get the results you want with Excel.

Take some time to explore buttons on the ribbon you’ve never used before, or to learn what the keyboard shortcuts can do to save you time.

This article was written by Jane Pettigrew and was first published on www.odysseytraining.com.au.

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Phones & internet

Don’t get stung with a nasty bill this holiday season Using a smartphone or tablet overseas can result in a horrendous bill. Here are some tips for managing your usage, without having to turn off your device.

The story is all too common: Globe-trotting builder comes back from his overseas adventure, only to receive a huge bill in the mail a few weeks later.

Global roaming on your mobile phone can result in a nasty bill to the unsuspecting traveller. In some cases, travellers have not even used their phone for calls whilst overseas, but by failing to change their settings, their smartphone has been downloading emails or other data without their knowledge.

While global roaming can be expensive, smartphones have many valuable uses when travelling, such as e-tickets for flights, hotel bookings, restaurant information, checking emails, and staying in touch with family and friends.

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To help keep customers informed about how much data they are using while overseas, Telstra has launched an SMS alert system, which sends travellers an alert for every 20 megabytes of data they use overseas (with the exception of Hong Kong, where the 4G phone network is not compatible with Telstra’s 3G alerts).

more reputable providers, such as city councils and libraries. Coffee shops are also a good place to get connected, and many hotels now offer free Wi-Fi in guest rooms, or in public areas.

If you’re using your smartphone for maps and directions, use apps that work offline. Simply type ‘free offline maps’ or similar into your online app store to see what you can find.

Make sure you download the apps before you leave home, or while using free Wi-Fi. Many travel guides and city guides are also available as offline apps.

Aside from turning your phone off altogether, an easy way to avoid bill shock is to turn off data roaming and only use Wi-Fi. You will find this under the settings or options menu on your phone.

The trip planner Tripomatic, for example, has an iPhone app that integrates city guides and offline maps, so you can update your travel plans as you go, without needing internet access. The free app includes more than 30,000 attractions in more than 300 destinations around the world.

Free Wi-Fi ‘hot spots’ are popular and easy to find in many countries. Try to avoid any that ask for your phone number or email address, unless you like receiving spam, and stick to

If you need to have access to data at all times, the best option is to buy a data roaming pack before you leave Australia. Just call Master Builders Telco on 1300 88 13 72 to arrange.

Laws, codes & regulations Simone Farrugia – Senior Associate, CBP Lawyers

New tough anti-hoon laws The Commissioner of Police (or its delegate) will have five business days to determine the Application for Early Release.

What should you do to protect your business and its vehicles?

Because the purpose of the legislation is to stop repeat offenders in their tracks by taking vehicles off the road immediately, this could have far reaching and immediate consequences for a business.

For this reason, it important that businesses: •

Take an active interest in the traffic history of drivers by undertaking regular traffic history checks.

•

Consult with employed and contract drivers regarding the refreshed safety management procedures to be reconfirmed.

Vehicles can be immobilised, impounded or forfeited for offences under Australia’s new toughest anti-hoon laws, which came into effect on 1 November 2013.

•

Meet the requirements of the Work Health and Safety Act.

•

Ensure that all vehicles are operated safely and within traffic, weight and dimensions legal requirements at all times.

Business owners need to be aware that under the new anti-hooning legislation passed in Queensland, vehicles can be taken off the road immediately and penalties increase for second and subsequent offences.

•

Conduct regular audits to ensure that the appropriate driver’s licence is held by employed or contract drivers.

•

Consult with employed and contract drivers to formalise the company policy that it is a condition of employment or work requirements that all drivers maintain a clean traffic history and notify the company immediately of any traffic infringements that may occur in any vehicle at any time.

•

Implement a company policy regarding safe driving practices and the consequences of having a vehicle be the subject of an impound or immobilisation notice.

•

Implement procedures in the event that a vehicle is the subject of an impound or immobilisation notice.

•

Formalise vehicle maintenance procedures to ensure that the vehicle fleet remains registered, insured and compliant with vehicle safety standards.

Offending driver not necessarily the owner of the vehicle

The timeframes for impounding or immobilisation also depend on the type of offence, with Type 1 offences involving a 90 day vehicle impoundment for a first offence and the vehicle being forfeited for a second offence.

For Type 2 offences, the first offence will result in a warning, but the length of impounding increases to seven days, 90 days and forfeiture for each subsequent offence.

New anti-hooning and road safety legislation came into effect in Queensland on 1 November 2013, delivering the toughest vehicle impoundment laws in Australia. (See Police Powers And Responsibilities (Motor Vehicle Impoundment) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2013 No. 15.)

Applications for early release of impounded vehicles

The new legislation can have far reaching consequences for owners of vehicles who are not necessarily the offending driver. Under the new legislation, vehicles can be impounded for seven or 90 days, depending on the type of offence committed by the driver that might trigger the impounding or immobilisation of a vehicle.

The only way to have your vehicle released before the expiration of the impound or immobilisation period is to apply to the Commissioner of Police for early release. The application can only be made in certain circumstances, such as severe hardship or the offence occurring without the owner’s consent.

The relevant period for the committing of a Type 1 or Type 2 offence is five years and the second and subsequent offences do not need to be the same type as the first offence.

Range of penalties The offences range from being involved in street racing (Type 1) down to unlicensed driving, highrange drink driving; exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 kilometres per hour; driving a vehicle that is both uninsured and unregistered; and non-compliance with vehicle standards and safety regulations offences (Type 2).

THE NEW LEGISLATION CAN HAVE FAR REACHING CONSEQUENCES FOR OWNERS OF VEHICLES WHO ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE OFFENDING DRIVER. december 13/january 14

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Members

Teacher puts asbestos removal skills to the test that one was in the works. I was happy to wait until the program was up and running, as I knew it would be much more comprehensive than other programs by other providers. It was definitely worth the wait!” Vanessa said.

“My business is based in Central Queensland, which means that almost every house I work on (including my own) is guaranteed to contain asbestos.

“I realised early on that it is paramount to follow best practice when dealing with this pervasive material, and to educate home owners about the common dangers they face if they attempt to renovate themselves.

“A few years ago, whilst working on a house renovation in Bundaberg, I spent two days sanding what I thought was simply lino off the floors. It turns out I was walking around in a cloud of asbestos, wearing only a paper mask, and didn’t even know it. This is a good example of why builders need to be properly training in asbestos removal, and why DIY renovators should engage a professional, rather than doing it themselves.

Teacher turned builder, Vanessa Norimi found her true calling while watching an episode of Grand Designs just eight years ago. The episode, which featured a pre-fabricated housing company, left a lasting impression and prompted Vanessa to hatch a business plan for her building company.

Vanessa has a master’s degree in education and worked (unhappily) as an English language teacher for almost 15 years before the fated day eight years ago when she found that her true passion lay in building. Since then she hasn’t looked back.

“I always craved a career where I could work with my hands, but it was definitely that ‘lightbulb’ moment when I knew I wanted to start a housing company,” Vanessa said. “Of course, when I told my boss that I was quitting to become a builder, he laughed!”

Setting out in the industry, Vanessa first gained a Certificate IV in Building Design, followed by a carpentry apprenticeship, and more recently a Cert IV in Building. She is currently in the process of applying for her builders’ licence, and looks forward to becoming the ultimate ‘triple threat’ – designer, carpenter and builder.

Until now, Vanessa and her husband, ‘Nori’ – who she met on a working holiday in Japan – have been running a plumbing company

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in Rockhampton. The couple moved to the region from South East Queensland after completing their apprenticeships in 2010 (Nori completed his plumbing apprenticeship at the same time Vanessa completed her carpenter’s apprenticeship), to chase the booming building industry.

“The peace of mind that excellent training gives you, such as the program run by Master Builders, flows through to the client – and that’s invaluable.

“The in-depth knowledge that the trainer had of the subject, and the care in which he delivered it, were the reasons I waited for this program.

And the final simulation exercise really put the skills and knowledge gained over the weekend to the test!

“The devil really is in the details when it comes to asbestos removal, and it really made me think. It also brought home the basic importance of team work.

“I would not hesitate to recommend this program to others, and I am so grateful for the support I have received from the team at the But, with a builders’ licence behind her, the next step is to expand their company into construction. Master Builders Central Queensland office.”

“I am excited, and a little bit nervous, about my next big step,” she said. “We’re just starting out, and I just completed my first small renovation project.”

Always keen to learn more, Vanessa added to her list of accomplishments this year when she recently completed Master Builders new Asbestos Worker Program. The program provides asbestos workers with the training needed to legally remove more than 10m² of non-friable asbestos.

“I enquired about Master Builders asbestos program about six months ago, and heard

Members

Farewell to respected Gold Coast builder Master Builders pays tribute to a member whose career spans over 40 years in the Australian building and construction industry.

Bill Simpson passed away on 6 September 2013 at the age of 66, after a notable career in the building and construction industry during which he secured a considerable reputation for high performance and increased profitability.

Always wanting to learn more, Bill undertook university studies in Applied Science Building, Local Government Urban Planning, Building & Health, Advanced Construction & Development Management, Legal Studies and Financial & Strategic Planning, and had both Queensland and New South Wales building licences.

During his 40-year career he held the position as Chairman for his construction company, Construction Management & Development Pty Ltd and was the Managing Director/CEO of VillaWorld Limited, Mainzeal Group Limited and Propacific Aust. Pty Ltd. Throughout his time in the industry, he also held the position as Executive Chairman for THG International Pty Ltd, as well as the CEO/Director for Abigroup Limited.

These Chief Executive positions and Directorships with several major Australasian public and private construction and development groups resulted in their increased overall performance, both technically and financially.

“What if I receive an application or notice of listing from Fair Work Australia?”

Bill was responsible for some very significant projects in both Australia and overseas, including New Zealand’s Parliament House, the development of the Rotorua Convention Centre and the construction of major public buildings, such as hospitals and schools throughout Australia.

Bill’s contribution to Australia’s building and construction industry has been invaluable, and he will be sadly missed by the building community, as well as his wife, family and friends.

MASTER BUILDERS MEMBERS RECEIVE F R E E A S S I S TA N C E I N FA I R W O R K A U S T R A L I A M AT T E R S I N C L U D I N G U N FA I R DISMISSALS.

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Call Master Builders team on (07) 3225 6407 for timely advice on fair work laws. workplacerelations@masterbuilders.asn.au

december 13/january 14

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Members

Major update makes COLORBOND® more durable and contemporary BlueScope has launched a major update of COLORBOND® steel featuring an expanded range of contemporary colours and new coating technologies for improved corrosion resistance and paint colour durability.

The colour palette for new COLORBOND® steel has undergone its biggest change in more than 20 years, with the addition of six new colours that were chosen after an extensive audit of 170 architects, roll-formers, developers and project home builders.

“It was clear from industry discussions that there was a real yearning for a colour change to meet emerging trends in residential and

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Members

commercial building styles,” said colour expert, Harley Anstee, of Nexus Designs.

Underpinning new COLORBOND® steel is BlueScope’s new Activate™ technology, which makes new COLORBOND® steel more resistant to corrosion when drilled, cut or scratched, thereby prolonging its lifespan.

The improved corrosion resistance has also allowed BlueScope to increase the warranty period for new COLORBOND® steel in most applications.

The warranty periods applicable for architectural roofing panels, for example, have increased from “up to 15 years” to “up to 36 years”.

New COLORBOND® steel features new paint technology, which increases the colour durability when compared with previous generation COLORBOND® steel.

BlueScope conducted the most rigorous testing program in COLORBOND® steel’s history to verify the durability of the new paint and support the introduction of six new colours into the range.

BlueScope product development portfolio leader Detlev Mueller said the paint was tested in several outdoor locations across the country for a minimum period of four years.

BlueScope market manager – commercial and industrial – Manu Siitonen said COLORBOND® steel has new technologies for improved corrosion resistance and paint colour durability compared with the previous generation product.

“Our testing program for COLORBOND® steel is unique in that our procedures replicate building applications in actual Australian conditions and we have multiple exposure sites ranging from moderate environments to very severe,” Mr Mueller said.

Samples of COLORBOND® steel were subjected to greater exposure than standard outdoor tests by being placed on ‘hot racks’ – black, insulated boxes which face north at 45 degrees to closely simulate the ‘skin temperatures’ of real insulated roofs.

“We also replicate actual building applications,” said Mr Mueller. “Our assessment structures feature different pitches of roofing, different profiles, varying products types and also include unwashed areas.”

BlueScope market manager – commercial and industrial – Manu Siitonen said COLORBOND® steel is better suited than ever to Australia’s unique and demanding conditions.

“COLORBOND® steel is developed for, and therefore more resilient to, the intense sunlight and temperatures typical of Australian environments,” he said.

“The new paint resin technologies combined with Activate™ technology will enable new COLORBOND® steel to meet customer expectations of appearance over a longer period of time.”

For more information, and full terms and conditions and to determine the eligibility for the warranty, visit www.bluescopesteel.com.au or call BlueScope Steel on 1800 064 384. december 13/january 14

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Projects

Wiley delivers award-winning innovation for Primo Smallgoods Understanding that a project’s true success is derived from a highly collaborative approach was the thinking behind Wiley’s success in the construction of Stage 1 of the Primo Smallgoods processing plant project.

Wiley was contracted to master plan, design and construct a $136 million integrated smallgoods processing plant that would consolidate several smaller Primo production operations and incorporate: •

A 10,566 pallet freezer for the storage of meat products used in the manufacture of Primo products

•

A 7,656 pallet distribution chiller for the storage, picking and distribution of finished products.

The development, which is located at Wacol in Brisbane, was to include process areas able to produce up to 1,800 tonnes of smallgoods per week on a double shift, with amenities for 600 workers.

Due to the scale of this project, it was delivered in two stages, the first of which, valued at $51 million, focused on the cold storage and distribution elements of the plant.

The project team faced a number of challenges from the beginning, the first being the fact that the selected 8.6 hectare site was overgrown, unserviced and contained a number of derelict buildings.

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Timing was a crucial element, with completion required by September 2012 to meet the production demands in the lead up to Christmas.

The project also needed to include an energy efficient refrigeration system with the lowest possible carbon footprint and zero greenhouse impact, whilst maintaining operational temperatures, as well as meeting international food grade standards and AQIS approval.

The sheer size of the facility also presented a challenge, as Wiley needed to achieve freezer pallet storage for 10,566 pallets within site constraints, while maximising production floor area, creating safe flow conditions for forklifts working at height, and improving lighting performance and reducing heat load of traditional cold storage lighting solutions.

In order to meet these challenges, a master plan was created to ensure timely delivery of design and construction over both stages of the project, as well as flexibility for any future developments required by Primo.

Taking design to the next level Wiley’s integrated model and collaborative approach to project delivery was important to Primo as it provided them with confidence in the critical areas of design, budgeting and the delivery timeframe.

The Wiley design team collaborated and developed building information modelling (BIM) to import and model all key elements.

This consolidated communication platform was an integral project delivery tool, which provided 100% confidence in construction details and clash detection.

All design documentation was aligned with programmed construction cycles from the

Projects beginning of the detailed design phase. This provided opportunities for: •

Multiple work faces and rapid construction

•

Resolution of services installation challenges in the 3D model that were then reflected in the construction cycles

•

Prescription of service routes and place holding of large items during the design modelling phases to avoid clashes and disputes in construction.

Ammonia was selected as the primary cooling source – meeting key ESD criteria of zero ODP, GWP and minimal carbon footprint, while the refrigeration system is fully controlled by PLC, with user-friendly HMI and SCADA, and remote from base dial-in and control.

A sub-system was designed for the collection and recycling of condensate from various areas in the facility for reuse in the refrigeration plant.

The design team further solved the dilemma of space constraints put on them by designing the freezer rooms to optimise the limited space for storage and picking operations by use of wire-guided very narrow aisle (VNA) forklifts that operate within a pallet width.

Delivering engineering solutions In order to meet the heating requirements, a hydronic heating system was installed in the structural slab. By controlling the temperature of this slab, the subfloor freezing and frost heave issues were resolved.

Superflat floors (beyond normal techniques and tolerances) were designed and constructed for stable operation of VNA forklifts at high speeds and extended heights, also complying with relevant safety standards.

An LED lighting solution was designed to deliver: •

Instantaneous strike, allowing lights to be turned off without affecting operations

•

Sensor beams on specific racking aisles, illuminating only the portion of the room where people are working

•

Significant reduction in heat output of light fittings and increased efficiency of lighting in -28°C freezers

An award-winning finish Months of careful planning and design resulted in an 8,760m² total building floor area for the freezer building and a 9,270m² building floor area for the distribution building. This is accompanied by 4,000m² of offices and amenities and a 1,000m² plant room, utilities and workshop.

Trade sequencing within the construction program ensured structural steel and roofing work was completed prior to highest rainfall periods and also allowed all in-ground services, concrete and insulated panel works to be completed with minimal inclement weather impact.

The services gantry system within the ceiling space provided safe access during construction and ongoing long-term maintenance access, while the BIM model was used extensively during construction site meetings, via an on-site PC, to communicate and coordinate daily operations.

Stage 1 was delivered on time and to the highest international food-grade standards, winning it several awards, including the Industrial Building over $5 million and Innovation in Environmental Managementt categories at the 2013 Housing & Construction Awards in Brisbane.

The project is a testament to Wiley; a people-oriented, family company that prides itself on the quality, progressive relationships they form with their clients and the industry as a whole. december 13/january 14

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Finance feature

Things to consider when refinancing your mortgage Refinancing your mortgage can be a good opportunity to make it work better for you.

As one of the largest debts that you will ever have in your life, your mortgage can be a great stress. Mortgages are debts that people have to live with for a large part of their life, so it’s obvious that you want the best mortgage deal possible. If you don’t feel that you currently have the best mortgage possible, then perhaps mortgage refinancing is the solution for you.

Mortgage refinancing may offer a good opportunity to relieve the burden of debt and make your mortgage work better for you; however, nobody makes decisions about their mortgage lightly. As a significant part of your financial wellbeing, making changes to your mortgage will often cause you to have doubts, such as:

will not be that great if you sell your property in two years compared to ten years. To get a clearer picture of the savings you could make, calculate the cost of refinancing with these scenarios in mind: •

Keeping the house indefinitely

•

Selling the house soon

•

Selling the house in ten years

•

Keeping the house as an investment property.

•

Am I doing the right thing?

These scenarios will each produce a different result and give you different savings. It’s important to consider the scenario that most relates to your situation. Only once you have explored these scenarios should you proceed with refinancing.

•

Is my mortgage going to be more expensive?

3. Prepare a future budget

•

Why am I refinancing?

By budgeting for the future you can work out whether a mortgage refinancing deal will really save you money. In order to budget for the future in relation to your mortgage, you need to calculate the amount of interest you pay over the term of the mortgage and do the same with each potential mortgage refinancing product you are considering. You will find that some products may end up being more expensive and others cheaper for you. Only by doing this can you find which mortgage refinancing product is best for you.

These doubts are legitimate and you should always make sure to consider all factors before refinancing your mortgage.

Here are five points that can help you make a decision about refinancing.

1. Is your first mortgage the best possible deal?

It’s more than likely that your first mortgage will not be the best deal available in today’s mortgage market. Despite this, most people stay with their first mortgage because of uncertainty, complacency or apathy. By not being a more informed consumer, many of us miss out on better mortgage deals and wind up paying too much in interest and/or fees.

Even if your interest rate is competitive, there could be other restrictions on the mortgage that are preventing you from extracting the best value from your loan facility. Once again, it pays to be an informed consumer.

Other mortgage deals can give access to lineof-equity withdrawals, extra payments options, increased frequency payment options or even lump sum payments. Through mortgage refinancing, it may be possible to give yourself an opportunity to obtain the best mortgage product available for your needs.

2. Explore all potential scenarios For the best possible savings, mortgage refinancing requires you to keep your property for as long as possible. In reality your savings

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4. Use this opportunity to cancel your other debt Most of us have other debts to contend with on top of our mortgage. It is not uncommon for people to have credit cards with balances that add up to thousands of dollars. Many refinanced loans can offer you the opportunity to eliminate this debt by consolidating it into your refinanced loan. This can potentially remove your high interest debt of 15–20% and turn it into low interest debt. The money you save every month on servicing that debt can be used to overpay your mortgage and reduce

that debt by tens of thousands of dollars over the course of the term. Be mindful that you will be extending the term of the credit card debt, so paying higher amounts to repay it early should definitely be a priority.

5. Calculate fees vs. interest saved Refinancing your mortgage can often result in fees, costs and taxes adding up to thousands of dollars; this discourages many people from refinancing. However, in order to get a true picture of the savings you will be making, you should compare the costs against the potential savings made from reduced interest. You will often find that the money saved from interest outweighs any fees you might incur. Whilst you may pay fees initially, it is possible for you to make big savings.

Before you make any decisions about your mortgage you should take these factors into consideration. You might find that mortgage refinancing is the solution for you.

Be mindful of lenders or brokers encouraging you to refinance without asking you what outcomes you want, what your motivations to refinance are or bothering to get a good understanding of your personal and financial position. If their only interest seems to be to refinance you and only speak about ‘cheap interest rates’ and ‘no fees’ but not about getting the outcome you are after – RUN! These are not the people you should entrust your financial and lending matters to.

As a final comment, don’t change banks solely because they have the most expensive mortgage rate today; tomorrow, they may be the cheapest! Therefore, you could spend your whole time swapping from one bank to the other – costing you money each time you swap banks.

Disclaimer: This information is general in nature and not to be taken as specific advice as your personal situation has not been taken into consideration.

This article was written by Harry Pontikis, Financial Services Director of Master Builders Victoria and was first published in the Nov–Dec 12 edition of the Master Builder Victoria.

MORTGAGE REFINANCING MAY OFFER A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO RELIEVE THE BURDEN OF DEBT AND MAKE YOUR MORTGAGE WORK BETTER FOR YOU.

Finance feature Noel Whittaker

Self-managed super funds: Keep it simple Self-managed super funds are the talk of the town.

The last year has seen a rush by investors who have been talked into starting their own selfmanaged super fund and gearing into residential property. The situation has become so bad that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has issued warnings – far too many of them have fallen on deaf ears.

One of the main benefits of buying assets within super is asset protection from creditors. This is why superannuation is the perfect investment vehicle for anybody in business, or a professional who is in danger of being sued for negligence.

The next advantage is tax minimisation. Because tax within a super fund is 15% and capital gains tax is 10%, there will be better net returns from a positively-geared property if it is held within super. Once the fund enters the pension phase, all income and capital gains are tax free.

These are the advantages – now let’s think about the disadvantages.

First is the complexity. To gear through a selfmanaged fund, you first have to set up a bare trust and that trust can only be involved in a single property. So, if you were considering eventually borrowing for say, three properties, you would need to establish three separate bare trusts with all the administration and fees that would entail.

Even though there are tax benefits when the property is positively-geared, it works the other way when the property is negatively-geared. A

rental shortfall of $10,000 within a super fund would save just $1,500 tax – in the name of a highincome taxpayer, the tax saving would be $4,650.

A fundamental rule of tax planning is that you take your tax breaks sooner rather than later.

I would rather have a tax deduction today at 46.5% than accept just 15% in the hope I can get a tax break in 20 years.

It has been argued that you can still have the tax breaks if you salary sacrifice the equivalent of the rental loss into super. But, using salary sacrifice contributions to prop up a rental property means less money that would be available to grow in your super fund.

When you are thinking about investing you face three fundamental decisions – the asset to buy, whether to borrow and whose name the asset should be held in.

The factors that influence these decisions are something to be discussed with your adviser and your accountant. My own view is that property should be held outside superannuation where it can be leveraged to the maximum, ideally in combination with a home equity loan – the super fund should hold only interest-bearing investments and shares.

This keeps everything simple, maximises the tax benefits today and gives a diversified portfolio.

This can be done without the hassle of starting your own fund and without getting involved with the rigmarole of bare trusts and all the costs that go with them.

A RENTAL SHORTFALL OF $10,000 WITHIN A SUPER FUND WOULD SAVE JUST $1,500 TAX – IN THE NAME OF A HIGH-INCOME TAXPAYER, THE TAX SAVING WOULD BE $4,650.

Noel Whittaker is the author of Making Money Made Simple and numerous other books on personal finance. His advice is general in nature and readers should seek their own professional advice before making any financial decisions. You can contact Noel at noelwhit@gmail.com This article was reproduced courtesy of RACQ’s Road Ahead magazine.

Start using eDocs today!

Master Builders eDocs – electronic documents and online core services – system is now available!

Access to the new eDocs system is exclusive to Master Builders members and makes creating contracts easier, faster and more intuitive than ever before.

Activate your account and start using eDocs today!

Visit www.masterbuilders.asn.au/edocs.

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Superannuation

What is SuperStream?

The federal government’s SuperStream is set to reform and enhance the processing of superannuation.

SuperStream is a package of reforms that the federal government is introducing to help improve the processing of everyday superannuation transactions.

It includes measures to: •

Implement standardised forms and common data standards for electronic transactions

•

Impose data requirements for processing rollovers and contributions

•

Allow the use of tax file numbers (TFNs) as a primary account identifier

•

Encourage the use of online solutions to improve processing efficiency.

What does this mean for employers?

The main difference is that employers will have to process all super contributions electronically in a government-approved format (see timeline to the right).

In order to prepare for SuperStream, BUSSQ are encouraging all employers to get online as soon as possible! So for any employers who aren’t already remitting their contributions online, now’s a great time to start.

BUSSQ offers various payment options including BPAY, EFT, authorised bank transfers and a clearing house.

BUSSQ can help to make super payments easier!

BUSSQ’s new clearing house SCH Online can save time, as it lets employers make all their super payments in one single payment. Not only is it much faster, as all employee superannuation payments are processed through the one portal, it also provides: •

A flexible payment cycle

TIMELINE FOR UPCOMING CHANGES 1 Jan 2014 Employers must make contributions for employees who have not chosen a fund, to a MySuper product.

•

Flexible payment options

•

Automatic reports

1 July 2014

•

Multiple levels of payment authorisation

•

Peace of mind.

Large and medium employers (20 or more employees) must make contributions electronically.

1 July 2015 Small employers (fewer than 20 employees) must make contributions electronically.

Plus, BUSSQ has a dedicated team on hand to assist with any queries.

If you’re interested in BUSSQ’s clearing house, talk to an Employer Representative today to find out more.

BUSSQ is here to help BUSSQ realises that all this new legislation is creating extra work for employers, and want you to know that they’re here to help.

Just contact an Employer Representative, who will provide the personalised service needed to help you get super compliant.

If you have any questions or would like to find out more information about joining BUSSQ, call 1800 MY BUSSQ (1800 692 877).

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Community projects

Look after your mates this Christmas A message from MATES in Construction.

By the end of November we are pretty much hanging out for a break from the working year.

It’s time to put away the tools, park the ute and do what you want at last.

It could be a bit of fishing and camping, or just hanging out with the family that makes your break special, but it is worth remembering that it’s not always a great time for everyone. At MATES in Construction we don’t want to spoil your Christmas, but there will be guys and gals on your site who are not looking forward to the Christmas break.

You don’t have to add another place at the Christmas table, but if you did, I promise it would add to your Christmas spirit too!

Doing it tough? Call MATES If you or your mate are doing it tough this Christmas season, please call the MATES in Construction helpline 1300 64 21 11 for help.

The helpline is open 24/7.

Take a look around. They are probably not talking about it, but some of your mates on site could be spending Christmas alone, as a result of family break-ups or financial struggles, and facing the problems of providing for their family’s Christmas expectations. It can be tough, particularly with no income for a month or more.

Ask your mate… “Are you okay?”

There may be some people on site who are considering suicide as a way out during a time that is otherwise special to the rest of us. A simple phone call to check they are okay could make the difference.

Christmas is a time for giving, but not just material things. Spending a bit of time and having a quiet chat and a phone call with someone who may be doing it tough, shows that you are a real mate, not just ‘on the job’ but in real life.

LOOK OUT FOR MATES IN CONSTRUCTION’S LATEST NEWSLETTER, ON-SITE, INSERTED IN THIS EDITION OF MASTER BUILDER MAGAZINE. This book is intended primarily to be used as a general information guide to maintenance for homeowners.

The focus of this book is on the majority of typical home styles.

The booklet sets out information for home owners on how best to look after what is probably the largest investment they will make during their lives, and describes the home owners’ responsibilities with regard to the use and operation of the home.

New Home Owner’s Maintenance Manual

This book is published as a community service by Master Builders to assist purchasers of new homes or those who are carrying out extensions or renovations.

Call Master Builders on 1300 30 50 10 to purchase a copy.

QMBA-16850 03-13

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Motor vehicles

Great savings on vehicle finance packages A fully maintained chattel mortgage will take the hassle out of managing your fleet.

We’re excited to announce that our Fleet Services provider, AP Eagers, has recently partnered with Vehicle Solutions Australia to offer members great savings on vehicle finance packages (or fully maintained chattel mortgages).

Need a new vehicle for your business? Want one simple payment for all your vehicle expenses? A fully maintained chattel mortgage might be for you.

A fully maintained chattel mortgage is the ideal solution for business owners, to take the hassle out of managing fleets. It gives you ownership of the vehicle from the start of your contract, without any capital outlay. You can choose the term of your repayments and spread the purchase cost over the term, and you can include registration, insurance and on-road costs.

Tax deductible

The benefits include:

As long as the vehicle is being used for business purposes, you can claim a tax deduction with each BAS and at the end of the financial year. Plus, can you claim the GST on your next vehicle purchase up front.

Fast approvals – no financials required

Discounted services, parts & tyres

If your business has an ABN, has been trading for more than two years and has asset-backed owners with clear credit files, you will not need to prove capacity and don’t require financials for approval.

Receive fleet rates on labour and parts for scheduled services at over 3,000 services centres across Australia, and up to 30% off tyres, windscreens and batteries.

One simple payment for all vehicle expenses

No need to keep track of receipts with 24/7 access to your account online, which gives you up-to-date running costs and tax reports.

Enjoy the convenience of one payment for all your vehicle expenses, including finance, registration and insurance, as well as on-road costs, like tyres and scheduled servicing.

Fixed payments make budgeting easy Say goodbye to unexpected vehicle costs with fixed monthly payments – a great budgeting tool for your business.

Easy reporting

A fully maintained chattel mortgage will let you get on with your business, while we look after your vehicle management.

To find out more, give Master Builders a call on 1300 55 11 61.

Take the headache out of vehicle management A fully maintained chattel mortgage is the ideal solution for business owners, to take the hassle out of managing fleets.     

Fast approvals – no financials required One simple payment for all vehicle expenses Fixed repayments make budgeting easy Tax deductible Discounted services, parts & tyres

Get on with your business, while we look after your vehicle management.

Call 1300 55 11 61 to find out more.

QMBA-17964 11-13

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Training & Licensing

Class of 2013

The building industry’s future leaders graduate.

Master Builders Building Leaders in Construction class of 2013 graduated in October, providing industry participants with the qualifications and skills needed to move forward and succeed in the evolving construction industry.

The course, which was introduced in 2012, is a premium management and leadership program, providing participants with a nationally accredited Diploma of Management qualification. Attendees are handpicked by their employer to attend this prestigious course.

The 2013 program boasted a full classroom, with 17 future leaders participating in the course, which focuses on planning, processes and managing people as the building blocks for professional development within the industry.

Put together by key industry experts, the course helps to ensure participants receive the highest level of training to advance their skills and careers and gain the necessary skills and knowledge needed to excel as a leader in the industry. The benefits of the program are twofold, as the program ultimately provides longterm benefits to the participant’s employer, as well as the participant.

Designed to specifically expose students to an interactive learning environment that has been contextualised to the construction industry, the course is unique because it has company mentors/sponsors who are on hand to assist participants and ensure they are successful.

North Queensland was well represented in 2013, with local builder, Adrian Gabrielli, enrolling one of his up and coming staff

members, Bernie Travers, in a bid to provide him with additional skills and knowledge that will help take his career to the next level.

“After 32 years in the building industry, I’ve always had a passion for training and when I saw this course being offered, I knew sending an employee like Bernie was a win-win situation – it’s an investment in his long-term career and a way for me to keep the business up-to-date,” Mr Gabrielli said.

“Keeping up-to-date with technology is crucial for any business and I’m always looking for ways to ensure my business isn’t losing pace.

“Cultivating Bernie’s interest in that arena is a way for me to reward an employee who has a fantastic career ahead of him, but also ensure my own business has staff with the right skills to stay up-to-date.

“However, the course is not just about my business, it’s about cultivating new leaders for our industry and ensuring the banner is passed through to the younger generation.”

“I recognised Bernie’s skills as a tradesman, his understanding of technology and his potential as a leader very early in his employment with us, and knew he had a firm place in my business’ future.

Participants have usually been in their current roles for at least two years and are generally from positions like site supervisors, leading hands, finishing foremen and structural foremen.

“Having been with us for four or five years, his skills on site have developed very nicely and it was time to focus on the business side of building and aid his transition ‘from hammer to pen’.

Expressions of interest for the 2014 program are now open. Master Builders is encouraging tier-one and mid-tier building companies to nominate eligible employees for enrolment in the program.

“The course was the perfect opportunity for him to gain new skills and network with fellow industry participants with a similar passion for moving their career forward.

For more information, contact Master Builders on 1300 13 60 02 or email training@masterbuilders.asn.au

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR THE 2014 PROGRAM ARE NOW OPEN. MASTER BUILDERS IS ENCOURAGING TIERONE AND MID-TIER BUILDING COMPANIES TO NOMINATE ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES FOR ENROLMENT IN THE PROGRAM. december 13/january 14

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People & events

Brisbane Financial Breakfast Financial expert and bestselling author, Noel Whittaker, gave practical advice on saving tax and using the right investment mix to optimise investments at the Financial Breakfast in Brisbane on 19 September.

Noel (pictured right with Master Builders Deputy Executive Director, Paul Bidwell) is one of Australia’s best known financial experts, and gave members ideas to rev up their business.

Thank you to our sponsor MVM Legal.

Ingham Golf Day Around 40 people attended the Ingham Golf Day on Friday, 11 October at the Ingham Golf Club.

The golf day was held in partnership with BUSSQ Building Super and the Endeavour Foundation. On the day, Gavin Gusmeroli from Mitre 10, Betta Electrical, Master Builders and Sports Power kindly donated furniture and equipment to the Endeavour Foundation for their residence in Forrest Beach.

Congratulations to winners Wilson, Ryan & Grose Lawyers/CBS Building Group and runners-up, BUSSQ.

Sunshine Coast Business Partners Breakfast There was a positive vibe in the room at the Sunshine Coast Business Partners Breakfast on 16 October, prompted by the recent lift in Sunshine Coast housing approvals, major projects underway in the region, and the Council’s new economic development strategy (which will add 100,000 new jobs to the region).

The major projects include completion of the Sunshine Coast Private hospital, SC University Public hospital, Kawana shopping world extensions, Sunshine Plaza, Big Top renovations and Nambour Coles.

Far North Queensland Annual Golf Day The Far North Queensland Annual Golf Day was held at the Cairns Golf Club on Friday, 20 September. The day was a great success, with perfect weather and good course conditions. The ‘Can-Do Team 2’ took home the overall award.

The raffle was well supported again this year with the proceeds presented to the Child Developmental Unit, Cairns Health Service District.

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People & events

Far North Queensland inaugural Women in Building event On Thursday, 24 October, Master Builders Far North Queensland region hosted the inaugural Women in Building event in Cairns, with 38 ladies attending.

The event was organised by the 2013 State Women in Building award winner, Yvonne Pengilly.

A gold coin donation on the day raised money for Mates in Construction.

Downs & Western Annual Golf Day The Downs & Western Annual Golf Day was held on Friday, 1 November at the Toowoomba Golf Club, Middle Ridge. There was a field of 102, playing a four-ball Ambrose with a shotgun start. First place went to Gordon Bourke Constructions.

A special thanks to our business partners, especially Toowoomba Fasteners who donated a Ramset drill as the lucky door prize.

North Queensland Melbourne Cup Day The Master Builders North Queensland Melbourne Cup Race Day was held at Cluden Park Race Course on Tuesday, 5 November 2013. The day was a huge hit with North Queensland members, who took advantage of the great hospitality, food and the comfortable air-conditioned Raceview room.

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Events

Now builders can buy a personalised 4-in-1 safety sign

One sign – one simple and convenient solution.

• No children allowed on site

AUTHORISED PERSONS ONLY

• All persons working on site must have a General Safety Induction Card

Conference

SAFETY FOOTWEAR MUST BE WORN

ous ng

e aey

Join IBC members and industry peers for a full day of learning about important issues and new products, presented by a range of interesting speakers.

The IBC Conference will present the latest information on important industry issues. Sharing the practical knowledge of these industry experts will help improve your professional standards as a Master Builders member.

• Electrical leads and power tools must be tested and tagged.

-

The Master Builders Institute of Building Consultants Conference returns in 2014 with an exciting program and an impressive line-up of industry experts.

Make sure you register and pay before Thursday, 19 December to go into the draw to win a double pass to swim with the dolphins (valued at $400)!

SITE RULES

HEARING & EYE PROTECTION MUST BE WORN ON THIS SITE WHEN REQUIRED

2014 Institute of Building Consultants Conference

:

Venue

:

Master Builders 4-in-1 safety sign incorporates four of the most commonly used site safety signs, plus a list of standard site rules, plus a personalised builder’s sign.

Under workplace health and safety legislation, builders must erect appropriate safety signs on site. Master Builders discounted signage can help you avoid fines and non-compliance.

Call Master Builders on (07) 3225 6416 or visit www.masterbuilders.asn.au to order online.

Alternatively, call your nearest regional office for more information.

Famous for its theme parks, stunning beaches and sub-tropical rainforests, the Gold Coast is Australia’s premier holiday destination and boasts 70 kilometres of uninterrupted coastline.

The Gold Coast is home to many famous tourist attractions, including Sea World Resort & Water Park.

Here you can lie back and relax in the sun, swim with the dolphins or experience exhilarating water slides in the water park.

Accommodation The Sea World Resort is offering guests a special reduced rate of $149 for a Superior or $169 for a Deluxe Resort Room. Please contact the resort directly on (07) 5591 0000 if you wish to book accommodation.

Gala dinner Following the conference, delegates are invited to enjoy a night of fine food and entertainment at the conference gala dinner.

The dinner will commence with pre-dinner drinks and canapés at Ray Reef, plus a ride in the theme park (optional), followed by a two-course buffet dinner and drinks, plus great entertainment.

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To register, download a registration form at www.masterbuilders.asn.au/ ibcconference or call 1300 30 50 10. Registrations close 21 February 2014.

PROGRAM CONFERENCE

8am – 8.30am

2.15pm – 3pm

Registration

Waterproofing – Robert Rath, Wet Seal

8.45am – 9am

There are many different waterproofing products designed for certain applications. Do you understand the requirements of AS 4654 – Waterproofing membranes for external above-ground use? Learn about why waterproofing membranes fail and how it affects the way you construct a building.

IBC Chairman’s welcome – Mike Decman 9am – 9.45am Window installation & waterproofing – Evan Bengtson, G James Glass Learn more about flashing installations requirements when using polystyrene or fibre cement wall sheeting and window trims. Incorrect installation can cause massive water damage to the building and a costly rectification.

9.45am – 10.30am Timber construction – Lex Somerville, BMCC Services Do you understand the timber framework requirements under AS 1684 – Residential Timber Framed Construction? Learn about common problems associated with timber framing and how they can be avoided.

3pm – 3.30pm Afternoon tea & networking break 3.30pm – 4.15pm Cement products & systems – Doug Haarhoff, James Hardie James Hardies provide fibre cement products and systems for internal and external building construction. Learn more about their innovative new products and different materials, how poor installation can cause defects and how to prevent this.

4.15pm – 5pm

10.30am – 11am Morning tea & networking break 11am – 11.45am Pool fencing – Rodney Webb, Awebbco Pool fencing requirements have become much more stringent of late, so it’s important to get up-to-date on compliance for pool fencing in Queensland.

Learn about how to identify defects and omissions when inspecting pool fences, the legislative requirements and who can repair a fence.

11.45am – 12.30pm Concrete defects & rectification – Ruiwen Kong, Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia Many defects can occur with concrete, such as dusting, early age shrinking and plastic settlement cracking. Learn how to prevent defects and how you can rectify them, as well as how to identify what is acceptable or when it is a defect.

12.30pm – 1.30pm

Timber cladding – Glenn Cairncross, Weathertex Weathertex’s weatherboards and architectural panels are made from 97% hardwood and 3% natural wax for water repellence. Learn about how this natural timber product can be used in both residential and commercial buildings, and understand what sustainable forestry management is and the sustainable benefits of timber building materials.

5pm Conference close

GALA DINNER 6.30pm Pre-dinner drinks (meet in Seaworld Resort foyer) 7.30pm – late Gala dinner – Paradise Room, Sea World Resort

Lunch break 1.30pm – 2.15pm Fire separation & services – Mark Catchpole, Catchpole Building Services Are you inspecting buildings that require fi re separation? What are your responsibilities as an inspector if you see possible breaches? How does the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service fi t into the building approval process? Learn about who can inspect fire related issues, the most common fire defects in existing buildings and how they can be rectified. december 13/january 14

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on in January

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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2

3

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5

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General Safety Induction (Brisbane)

Business Management (Brisbane)

20

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Residential Building Inspectors (Brisbane)

Residential Building Inspectors (Brisbane)

Asbestos Worker Program (Mackay & Whitsunday)

Asbestos Worker Program (Mackay & Whitsunday) 27

28 Testing & Tagging (Sunshine Coast)

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Business Management (Brisbane) 24

Construction First Aid (Brisbane) Business Management (Sunshine Coast)

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30 Asbestos Worker Program (Sunshine Coast)

Business Management (Sunshine Coast)

31 Asbestos Worker Program (Sunshine Coast)

To book your place at a Master Builders event or training course, go to www.masterbuilders.asn.au or call 1300 30 50 10.

Note: Dates are subject to change.

CUT THROUGH PAPERWORK WITH CALTEX STARCARD Caltex StarCard eliminates the hassle of managing fuel expenses with one tax invoice for all your vehicles.

Plus, direct debit payment and up to 51 days interest-free credit helps boost your cash flow. And with over 2,000 service stations around Australia your business will never run out of fuel.

Apply today by calling 1300 55 11 61 or visiting www.masterbuilders.asn.au Caltex StarCard. Perhaps the best trade tool you can own.

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MASTER BUILDERS OFFICE LOCATIONS

Cold Front Air Conditioning’s A1 Service & Installation Guarantee

Member benefits

BRISBANE 417 Wickham Terrace Brisbane, QLD 4000 Ph: (07) 3225 6444 Fax: (07) 3225 6545 ask@masterbuilders.asn.au www.masterbuilders.asn.au GOLD COAST John Duncalfe Regional Manager Master Builders House 18 Central Park Ave Ashmore, QLD 4214 Ph: (07) 5582 7100 Fax (07) 5597 7044

Office supplies Master Builders members receive up to 25% off OfficeMax’s large range of office products, technology, furniture, medical, café and cleaning supplies.

DOWNS & WESTERN Tony Ryder Regional Manager 166 Hume Street Toowoomba, QLD 4350 Ph: (07) 4659 4200 Fax: (07) 4639 5144 SUNSHINE COAST Michael Hopkins Regional Manager Level 1, 91 King Street PO Box 1458 Buderim, QLD 4556 Ph: (07) 5456 9800 Fax: (07) 5453 4670

At Cold Front Air Conditioning our aim is to achieve the highest level of customer service in the air conditioning industry. Our company focus is building our business towards meeting our customer’s needs, at every level from a single room to a large commercial project.

Our aspiration is to provide our customers with quality, efficient, cost-effective solutions and excellence in customer service. With our extensive experience we understand what it takes to provide business excellence in application, design, and installation of commercial and domestic air conditioning and all other aspects of heating and cooling.

BURNETT WIDE BAY Michael Hopkins Regional Manager 162 Boat Harbour Drive Hervey Bay, QLD 4655 Ph: (07) 4303 2400 Fax: (07) 4124 7235

Europcar Master Builders members can get away for less with an exclusive 10% off the best car rental rate of the day with Europcar.

MACKAY & WHITSUNDAY Malcolm Hull Regional Manager Suite 2, 40 Evans Avenue PO Box 3188 North Mackay, QLD 4740 Ph: (07) 4969 4500 Fax: (07) 4951 3418

Cold Front specialists will check the conditions in your home, office or from your plans - dimensions, heat load, other factors/variables at no cost, draft a proposal for the equipment that that is tailored to your needs whether it be a large commercial project or a single domestic split system.

For more information contact: 1300 COLD FRONT www.coldfrontac.com.au

CENTRAL QUEENSLAND Dennis Bryant Regional Manager 35 Derby Street PO Box 631 Rockhampton, QLD 4700 Ph: (07) 4923 1900 Fax: (07) 4921 3235

Training & licensing Members can receive up to 30% off Master Builders range of practical and flexible training courses and licensing services, which have been developed specifically for the industry.

NORTH QUEENSLAND Melissa Coulter Regional Manager Master Builders House Unit 1(B), 316 Sturt Street Townsville, QLD 4810 Ph: (07) 4417 1800 Fax: (07) 4771 5777 FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND Ron Bannah Regional Manager 310–314 Gatton Street Manunda, QLD 4870 PO Box 806 Earlville, QLD 4870 Ph: (07) 4042 8800 Fax: (07) 4041 7663

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Need a new vehicle?

Want a fast and simple way to find the best motor vehicle and finance to suit your needs?

Take advantage of Master Builders Fleet Service program – the one-stop-shop for all your motor vehicle needs.

We can take care of: •

Sourcing your new vehicle through our extensive range of dealerships

•

Pre-approved vehicle finance, as well as plant and equipment finance

•

Complete vehicle maintenance, service and fuel card program with Caltex.

Let Master Builders help you find and purchase the right vehicle in three easy steps: 1.

Decide what type of vehicle you want

2.

Call Master Builders on 1300 55 11 61 or email cars@masterbuilders.asn.au

3.

Sit back and relax while we take care of the rest.

It’s that easy! Call us today on 1300 55 11 61 or email cars@masterbuilders.asn.au and let us help you find the best deal for you.

Lawyers

One business that will do the lot!

Baylec Electrical is South East Queenslands electrical contractor of choice for Project and Multi Residential builders.

Our Company Mantra ensures we show up on time, keep our promises, be extremely polite and give a little more than expected every time; we guarantee it! Multi-residential builders, developers and residents of Brisbane and Southeast Queensland choose Baylec Electrical because of our: > Proven track record of on-time, on-budget, defect-free projects. > Wide range of in-house end-to-end services, Electrical, Air Conditioning, Security, Intercom, Ducted Vacuum & Solar.

> Full Design Consult facilities. > Flexible approach and customer-first attitude > Best quality products and competitive price > Strong award winning environmental focus and accreditations > Over 13 years and 2000 projects completed to date.

For a company that is BIG ENOUGH TO CATER FOR YOUR NEEDS BUT SMALL ENOUGH TO CARE you can trust the award winning, family owned BAYLEC Electrical to deliver.

w w w. baylec .com.au

Your complete Electrical, Air Conditioning and Solar solutions provider Lic no. 66061

Call Baylec Electrical on 1300 BAYLEC (1300 229 532) today to book your next project or residential job!

Master Builder ProtectionPLUS™

Construction Works Insurance that delivers QUALITY PRODUCT… Insurance designed by Master Builders, for Master Builders.

Extensive scope of policy protection, automatic – always.

ON TIME… Fast turnaround for all documents and claims.

UNDER BUDGET...

Discounted premiums for Master Builders members.

Insurance by Master Builders for Master Builders Call your nearest Master Builders Insurance office on 1300 13 13 26, or email insurance@masterbuilders.asn.au. a division of Queensland Master Builders Association AFS Licence 246834

QMBA-11926 09_10

ALIIS STA AIIR LOBB, BUSSQ MEM MBER Ther Th ere e iss ove verr $1 $ 7 bi bill llio ion n si sitt itttin ing in lo osst or ina n ct ctiv ive iiv ve su supe p r ac pe acco acco oun unts ntss and nd som me of of tha at mi migh m igh ght ht be be you ourss.

TEXT YOUR NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH TODAY

TO JOIN BUSSQ CALL AUSTEN MORSE 0429 471 913 BUS SQ.COM . AU IMPORTANT INFORMATION BUSSQ will use your personal information, including your tax file number, to find other super accounts in your name. Standard SMS charges apply. Before acting, you should consider the appropriateness of the action to your individual needs or seek independent advice from a properly qualified professional. Before acquisition of a BUSSQ product, a Product Disclosure Statement should be obtained. A copy of BUSSQâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statements may be downloaded from bussq.com.au or you can request a copy by contacting BUSSQ on 1800 MY BUSSQ (1800 692 877). Licence and registration numbers for: BUSS(Queensland) Pty Ltd ABN 15 065 081 281; AFS Licence 237860; BUSSQ ABN 85 571 332 201 Money Solutions Pty Limited AFS Licence No. 258145. Figures as at October 2012.