This report was commissioned in 2017 by the Building Ministers’ Forum (BMF) to assess the effectiveness of compliance and enforcement systems for the building and construction industry across Australia and to examine a range of issues outlined in comprehensive terms of reference for their work. in particular the report focusses in a succinct way on shortcomings in the implementation of the National Construction Code (NCC). One of the issues the Ministers raised was the “integrity of private certification.”

The assessment aims to enhance public trust through effective implementation of building and construction standards that protect the interests of those who own, work, live, or conduct their business in Australian buildings and makes 24 recommendations:

1. Registration of building practitioners
2. Consistent requirements for registration
3. Continuing Professional Development
4. Career paths for building surveyors
5. Improving collaboration between regulators
6. Effective regulatory powers
7. Strategy for the proactive regulation of Commercial buildings
8. Collaboration with fire authorities in the development of fire safety design
9. Integrity of private building surveyors
10. Codes of conduct for building surveyors
11. Role of building surveyors in enforcement
12. Collecting and sharing data and intelligence
13. Responsibility of design practitioners
14. Adequate documentation for performance solutions
15. Approval of performance solutions for constructed building work
16. Approval of documentation throughout the construction process
17. Independent third party review
18. Mandatory inspections
19. Inspection and certification of fire safety system installation
20. A building manual for Commercial buildings
21. Building product safety
22. Dictionary of terminology
23. Implementation of the recommendations
24. Implementation plan