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The NSW Government has confirmed a $145 million investment in Building Commission NSW to restore confidence and quality in the sector.

The Minns Government has confirmed the 2025-25 State Budget includes a $145.1 million reinforcement for the building regulator to continue overseeing the construction industry and ensuring compliance with quality standards. According to the government, the funding will modernise and digitise the system to better target inspections.  

“This $145 million investment over the next four years will provide the Commission the funding security it needs to keep inspections going and ensure building quality is maintained across the state,” said James Sherrard, NSW Building Commissioner.  

“It will also allow us to continue to progress key building legislative reforms, and deliver education to the industry, so the sector is supported and can continue to improve into the future.”  

Building Commission NSW employs 450 people, from building and compliance inspectors to lawyers. It was established in 2023 to regulate the construction of residential property in the state. This financial year, it has inspected over 1,000building sites for defects and issued 455 orders. It has also inspected over four hundred residential building sites for compliance issues.  

“In 2024/25 alone, we have conducted thousands of inspections on sites across NSW, with a particular focus on building our presence and programs in the regional and rural parts of the state,” Sherrard said.  

The funding also allows the Commission to partner in joint task forces with other agencies, including Fair Trading, ASIC, Australian Skills Quality Authority and the NSW State Coroner, to “ensure all necessary prosecutions across different jurisdictions can be carried out.”  

Finally, the funding will also guarantee the continuation of courses to train the industry. Last financial year, the Commission provided courses to over 20,000 students and will launch 16 more courses this year to educate the industry on electrical and air conditioning standards, asbestos and silica, and more.   

“Building quality is one of the top priorities of the Minns Government,” said Anoulack Chanthivong, Minister for Building.  

“Ensuring homes, whether they be apartments or free-standing houses, are built to the highest standards is critical to help address the housing crisis we inherited in NSW.”