NSW Appoints Building Commissioner to Restore Public Confidence

Newly-appointed NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler plans to implement change that will strengthen the construction industry foundations across the state.

The NSW government has appointed the building and construction expert as the state's first building commissioner — in the wake of high-profile building evacuations — in order to combat underlying defects in Australia's construction system.

Residents of the 36-level Opal Tower in Sydney were evacuated after the concrete in the building's walls and floor cracked.

Mascot Towers in Sydney's inner-south was closed to residents in June after cracks were found in its car park.

Chandler will be responsible for the investigation and disciplinary action for misconduct in the building industry while overseeing the end to end licensing and auditing across the building industry.

The commissioner will also drive legislative reforms of the building industry through consultations with the industry including the current reforms by NSW which will require building practitioners to be registered and will make it easier for home owners to seek compensation against negligent operators.

NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian said the appointment of was part of the NSW government’s commitment to implementing the biggest overhaul to building laws in the State’s history.

“We are getting on with the job of ensuring confidence in the building industry by appointing David Chandler OAM the Building Commissioner for NSW,” Berejiklian said.

“Chandler will use his vast experience to support homeowners and lift building standards across the State.”

Chandler, an adjunct professor at the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Western Sydney, worked as the construction director of Parliament House in Canberra during the 1980s.

Better regulation minister Kevin Anderson said Chandler had been selected from a pool of 22 applicants for the role.

“David will lead the implementation of this reform and will advise the government on additional reforms that may be needed to ensure better protections for homeowners and purchasers, and lift building standards across NSW,” Anderson said.

Chandler has been appointed for an initial two year term and will have the powers to investigate and discipline misconduct in the building industry while overseeing licensing and auditing across the building industry.