The Minister for Employment Senator Eric Abetz has announced a new advance release of the Fair and Lawful Building Sites Code 2014 (Building Code 2014), replacing the previous version released in April.

The new update makes clear the agreement content requirements of Building Code 2014 will also apply to formal variations made to enterprise agreements; and also requires contractors to strictly comply with immigration laws and visa requirements or they will lose the ability to do Commonwealth Government-funded work.

Building Code 2014 is aimed at ensuring taxpayer-funded construction projects are safe, productive and strictly adhere to the rule of law.

The newly elected Victorian Labor government has promised to abolish the similar existing Victorian construction industry code of conduct, and not to adopt the federal code, which could potentially lose Victorians $7.6 billion in new infrastructure funding.

“States which do not agree to apply the Code to such projects will not receive funding,” Senator Abetz said.

Building Code 2014 forms part of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013, which will also reinstate the ABCC and prohibit industrially motivated picketing. The Bill remains before the Senate, and is opposed by the CFMEU’s political benefactors – Labor and the Greens. Master Builders strongly supports the Bill.

Master Builders advises members to contact the Industrial Relations Department on (03) 9411 4560 for further information.