The joint media investigation into the operations and underworld links within the CFMEU confirms what Master Builders has long known and called out – union representatives with a comprehensive disregard for the law and the industry it claims to represent.

Governments cannot turn a blind eye to this abhorrent and...

Effective July 1, 2024, Australian workplaces are facing a significant change in union rights. The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has expanded the circumstances under which union officials can enter workplaces without prior notice. Specifically, if a union suspects wage underpayment, they can now obtain an exemption certificate from the FWC...

A nationwide ban on the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing more than 1% silica commences today, 1 July 2024.

Key Points:

• Ban Implementation: A nationwide ban on the use, supply, and manufacture of engineered stone containing more than 1% silica starts on 1 July 2024...

NSW and the ACT are the first in Australia to adopt new national laws modernising defamation law for the digital age, effective today. The legislation aims to balance freedom of speech and reputation protection in digital publishing.

Key Points:

1. Digital Intermediaries Defined:

   • Includes social media platforms, review websites, search engines...

The Australian Government has made changes to individual income tax rates and thresholds. This will apply to all taxable income you earn from 1 July 2024. The changes will not impact your 2023–24 tax return.

From 1 July this year, these changes will:

• reduce the 19 per cent tax rate to 16 per cent
• reduce the 32.5 per cent...

Changes to professional obligations under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (the Act).

Professional indemnity insurance requirement deferred 
The Act requires registered building practitioners to hold professional indemnity insurance for the work they carry out. This mandatory insurance requirement will now commence from 1 July 2025. The 12-month extension...

Inflation rose to 4% in the 12 months to May, surpassing economists' expectations of 3.8%, according to the latest ABS data. This marks an increase from April's 3.6%. Key contributors were housing, food, non-alcoholic beverages, and transport.

The RBA now faces pressure to possibly raise interest rates further. While some...

Today’s NSW Budget provides a much-needed boost to help alleviate supply barriers in new home building said Master Builders Association of NSW Executive Director Brian Seidler.

Housing

“Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has rightly put housing at the centre of the budget and recognised that until we build the homes and infrastructure...

An exciting milestone has been reached in icare NSW’s funding of the Injury Prevention in Construction initiative.

RMIT University in collaboration with Master Builders Association (MBA) NSW, the Australian National University, and the NSW Centre for Work Health and Safety have developed a training tool to enhance safety-related communication and...

Safe Work Australia has now published the following draft amendments:

• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Engineered Stone) Amendment 2024 (safeworkaustralia.gov.au); and
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations (Crystalline Silica Substances) Amendment 2024 (safeworkaustralia.gov.au)

The first lot of draft amendments give effect to the prohibition on the use of...