On 11 February 2022, the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) introduced a new fee structure for building practitioners’ registrations and renewals.

The VBA’s explanation for the new fee structure is to offer the following:

• Improve practitioner compliance
• Improve the VBA’s process as a regulator
• Cost recovery for the VBA as a self-funded regulator
• Help practitioners to improve their skills through its free Practitioner Education Series
• Improved technical guidance
• Better protect consumers
• Improve VBA processes so practitioners can spend more time working and less time dealing with the regulator when applying for or renewing their registration

Master Builders Victoria (MBV) is concerned that these changes have been introduced at a time when many small to medium building and construction businesses are struggling due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic – including vaccination mandates, lockdowns, restrictions, fixed contract terms, material shortages, and trade shortages.

MBV acknowledges how important it is for the building and construction industry to have a sustainably funded regulator.

MBV will be engaging further with the government and the VBA to look at alternate fee models that may reduce the burden on our members. We will continue to advocate that the building and construction industry is important to our states recovery and a large part of the economy, contributing over 50% of the state’s revenue, noting that for every $1 million spent in residential building activity, it generates $3 million in further economic activity.

We will also ask that additional measures be put in place so that fee increases of this magnitude are not required in the future.