A consumer or builder who finds themselves with a failed building contract only has one course of action to seek justice: to instigate legal proceedings in a tribunal.

Our diminishing take up rate of trade apprenticeships and pending future skill shortages has been a hot topic in media reports of late. However, this in fact has been an issue for well over a decade.

We all know regulation of the building industry has been on a downward spiral for over a decade. Why does the Andrews Government retain a dodgy consumer protection regime that every consumer body in Australia demeans because it fails the homeowners that need it?

There were high expectations after the formation of the VBA over three years ago, and while it was hoped this new authority would consider, aspire and strive, instead it has failed to listen and consider – a fact which now questions its very survival.