What is the Building Commission's role in public construction?

The Building Commission's Regulatory Development Services Division issues directions and standards that determine the processes that public sector agencies use for public construction.

Regulatory Development Services represent the link between Government and the building and construction industry. It is responsible for promoting Government as a responsible purchaser of building and construction services and higher quality public and private sector development in Victoria at least cost.

Regulatory Development Services plays an active role in shaping and influencing the development of building related regulatory development on a national level through its representation on national industry bodies, including the Australian Procurement and Construction Council, the Construction Industry Institute and the Co-operative Research Centre for Construction Innovation.

The Regulatory Development Services Division produces a range of information products relating to the building and construction industry, including codes of practice and various information sheets.

• Who is responsible for public construction policy and regulation?

Under Part 4 of the Project Development and Construction Management Act 1994, the Minister for Planning may issue directions and standards in relation to public construction. These Ministerial Directions and Standards regulate public construction in Victoria and describe the processes that must be used. They are applicable to Departments and Public Bodies.

Since 2001 the responsibility for advising the Minister for Planning in relation to public construction policy and regulation has been provided by the Building Commission. From 1 July 2007 the responsibility has been transferred to Building Policy branch, 
Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD). This transfer implements a recommendation contained in the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission Report on Housing Regulation in Victoria: building better outcomes, October 2005

Ken Hudson
Building Policy Branch, Housing Affordability & Forecasting
Department of Planning and Community Development
8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne 3002
Email: ken.hudson@dpcd.vic.gov.au

Tel: 03 9637 9522

The Building Commission will continue to host the public construction website on behalf of Building Policy DPCD until other arrangements can be made. This website provides access to current Ministerial Directions, the Code of Practice for the Building and Construction Industry and a range of information products relating to public construction and the building and construction industry.