The NSW Government will have a high-rise tower watchdog and a registration scheme for engineers and builders under an overhaul of construction activity, following the Opal Tower debacle. 

The new “building commissioner” will have the responsibility to enforce new laws and license and audit people who work in the construction industry. 

People working in the building and construction industry will also have to take responsibility for their work, as designers will be required to sign off on their designs and builders will need to build according to the designs. 

In addition, regulators will have to approve any changes to a tower’s plan after the design stage is completed. 

Further, the government will also tighten laws to protect homeowners and ensure a proper compensation if builders or engineers have been negligent. 

Better Regulation Minister Matt Kean described this as the “biggest shake-up in building and construction laws in our state’s history”. 

“When you purchase a property in NSW, you have every right to expect that that property is safe, structurally sound, and free from major defects. And unfortunately that is not always the case,” Mr Kean said. “It’s all about making sure building practitioners do the right thing.” 

“I don’t want to see another mum or dad be affected by waterproofing or dodgy property defects,” he added. 

The 36-storey Opal Tower at the Olympic Park was evacuated on 24 December 2018 after cracks were found in the building due to design and construction failures.