PAUL BURNELL 2017 brought with it a number of PRESIDENT significant regulatory changes for TASMANIA Tasmania’s building industry, with the implementation of the Building Act 2016 at the beginning of the year. HIA quickly engaged with Consumer Building and Occupational Services to ensure that problems and difficulties with the introduction and transition of the legislation were reviewed, and improved or removed expeditiously. HIA continued to advocate for private certification and self– RICK SASSIN certification for plumbing works. Local planning and other related EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR issues were once again a priority in TASMANIA 2017. HIA provided a written submission to the Government benchmarking a number of councils and highlighting a number of recurring issues faced by members, including: • delays in issuance of Requests Throughout 2017, HIA participated in for Information (RFIs) a number of working groups, • inconsistent RFIs continually representing members’ • inconsistent fees and forms best interests and advocating for • differing interpretation of the improvements across our industry. validation process HIA provided support and assistance • delays in validation of applications to the Housing Supply Side Options and issuance of invoices Project review of government owned • lack of operational resources land. The review has already • poor communication between identified over 50 sites available for planning staff and developers redevelopment to increase the • imposition of irrelevant and availability of a range of residential unnecessary conditions. housing supply options. HIA stressed 2017 also brought with it the that the sites should be available for reinvigoration of HIA’s YOUTHBUILD the private market as well as for Program, which introduced a new affordable and social housing. format comprising four separate HIA worked closely with government learning blocks – timber and to deliver clear and concise framing, finishing trades, design and information and messaging, such as bricklaying. One of the highlights of the announcement that stamp duty the new format has been the applied to the land component only, increase in female participants, with in a house and land package deal. a total of 20 participating in the With the state election to be held in courses during the year. early 2018, HIA completed a 10–point Policy Initiative document to be used in our messaging to all political and media stakeholders in the lead up to the election. Tasmania 20 |HIA ANNUAL REPORT 2017