27 July 2010

No naming of dodgy developers

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times has the unsurprising news that after the big boys have all sat around the table any talk of naming and shaming sub-standard builders has been shelved.

The forum decided on some quick action, such as an increase in the percentage of developments subject to spot-check audits, but stopped short of ordering that problem developments be made public.

The forum was called by Planning Minister Andrew Barr after his party and the Greens blocked a call by the Canberra Liberals for an inquiry into industry standards in the ACT…

Mr Barr said the delegates at yesterday’s forum agreed the number of mandatory inspections required for new developments above three storeys high would be increased from the present requirement of two inspections, but agreement had not been reached on how many visits would be required.

That’s the sound of money talking.

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I too have been threatened with defamation after posting on forums re. dogdy businesses. But it is in the public interest to know, and how can you be sued for defamation if you are telling the truth? The legal advice I have received is that the ‘d’ work is thrown around to scare people. So I have kept posting on forums regarding my experiences with bad businesses–and I am thoughtful enough to send copies of my posts to the business I am complaining about!! You would be surprised at how quickly they want to resolve an issue when they have been named. A good site is http://www.notgoodenough.org. I say: name them to protect the rest of us.

The cat did it1:06 pm 28 Jul 10

You’re right 54-11. It sounds like a face-saving deal has been done to give the industry time to apply some internal measures. If the problems persist, then the industry has demonstrated bad faith, and hopefully the Greens would reassert their consumer protection priorities and support an inquiry, even if the ALP is reluctant. Still, if I were a Labor Minister, I’d make sure that I had a personal exit strategy regarding this issue.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

…and what would you know about 1990 if this is meant to be your first year of voting?

Busgirl – not exactly an express route, are you?

Go read it again, properly this time.

…ha ha, I’ve always preferred the scenic route WMC.

cat, I know you’re not serious, but the problem with any disclosure is that all the evidence is held by ACTPLA and the various building bodies like MBA/HIA/PCA. The unions also probably have a dossier, but it’s not in their interest to release this as it also rfelects badly upon some of their members.

And that’s the real problem – the extent of the dodgy building is not known for sure, but it is much more widespread than the MBA was suggesting at the forum. there are more builders implicated than they say, and the problems are endemic in many apartment blocks.

The cat did it8:34 am 28 Jul 10

Wikileaks?

The MBA is a builders’ lobby group. It will never, ever do anything to expose the shonky building practices of its members.

I’m with 54-11 – stay away from Canberra apartments. A refurbished house is a far safer bet and usually not much more expensive.

Apparently in California, they found building compliance and meeting environmental standards improved massively after they bulldozed the first couple of buildings that they deemed not to comply.

I suspect until a Government is willing to take drastic action all we will get is talk

JB, that’s right – I had to back down a few years ago when threatened by a builder I had complained against. They use the laws to keep any evidence of their foul deeds out of the headlines.

The MBA and ACTPLA has known about this dodgy building racket for years – it’s always been around to some extent, but about 5 years ago, it became an epidemic in Canberra.

These two players (MBA and ACTPLA) are now doing everything they can to keep a lid on it, as they don’t want the full story to ever come out.

There are many buildings around Canberra with fundamental faults that will take a number of years to be fully revealed, and then the cost of rectification will be enormous. In many cases, demolition will be the only option.

It has the potential to make the asbestos problem look small.

And what are MBA and ACTPLA doing about it? Virtually nothing. And keeping everyone in the dark. Buy one of these apartments at your (huge) risk.

Woody Mann-Caruso1:32 pm 27 Jul 10

…and what would you know about 1990 if this is meant to be your first year of voting?

Busgirl – not exactly an express route, are you?

Go read it again, properly this time.

Well, of course not: you don’t want to bite the hands that may be donating to your political party.

And it’s good to see the Greens are looking after the ACT voter’s best interests too!

busgirl said :

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Money talks, mmm-hmm-hmm, money talks
Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, woh-oh

(Ah, 1990. DAAS. Guru Josh. An endless supply of girls and a fake ID.)

…and what would you know about 1990 if this is meant to be your first year of voting?

Bwahahahahahahaha

OT: the building industry looks after its own again while every body else has to put up with the crap that goes along with them.

They have such a tight control of the Government & the industry here in Canberra. Something no other trade has. One of the reaasons I will never build a house here, bugger feeding them (& yes I have an informed opinion with family in the building industry).

So, name and shame here instead?

Developers have expensive lawyers, even if we wanted to run it most members of the public lose their bottle after the first legal threats arrive.

If I was to buy an apartment, have it turn out to be pretty dodgy, then find out that the government knew the build did crap work and didn’t make that public, I would be pretty damn pissed off.

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

Money talks, mmm-hmm-hmm, money talks
Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, woh-oh

(Ah, 1990. DAAS. Guru Josh. An endless supply of girls and a fake ID.)

…and what would you know about 1990 if this is meant to be your first year of voting?

Woody Mann-Caruso10:59 am 27 Jul 10

Money talks, mmm-hmm-hmm, money talks
Dirty cash I want you, dirty cash I need you, woh-oh

(Ah, 1990. DAAS. Guru Josh. An endless supply of girls and a fake ID.)

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