6.2.1 Sustainable Housing
6.2.1.1 Local Government is committed to sustainable housing which balances the environmental, economic, social, community and cultural issues of housing.
6.2.1.2 Local Government supports the need for energy and water saving measures which give councils the discretion to allow these measures and do not compromise the ability of Local Government to respond to local policy issues.
6.2.2 Building Regulation
6.2.2.1 Local Government in principle supports the building certification system involving both private and Council based service arrangements.
6.2.2.2 The State Government should improve the regulatory system to provide incentive for Certifiers to operate professionally. The reviewed system will address minor and major offences and ensure that the compliance system is efficient and appropriate penalties are applied.
6.2.2.3 The State Government should provide Queensland Building Services Association additional resources to carry out a more extensive and comprehensive role in auditing and disciplining Certifiers in a timely manner. Local Government acknowledges the important role of Building Codes Queensland in monitoring and facilitating the performance of the Certification System. If additional resources are not made available there will need to be other means for disciplining Certifiers and for managing the system.
6.2.2.4 The State Government should provide a comprehensive educations program to increase community awareness of how the Certification system works and where responsibility/liability resides. The State Government will also create a system of consumer protection.
6.2.2.5 Local Government should be pro-active in acknowledging the role of Certifiers in ensuring the building quality in their Local Government area. Local Government will also be supportive of Certifiers through providing information, administration systems and other support and through ensuring fair competition.
6.2.2.6 State Government should address the specific needs of remote needs to ensure that the Certification system works effectively for these communities.
6.2.2.7 aIndependent professional certification of building works should be available as an optional system for Local Governments in the same way as accredited consultants may be used at present (i.e. engineers, architects or others with appropriate qualifications) to act as Building Certifiers.
6.2.3 Building Fire Safety
6.2.3.1 Local Government strongly opposes the devolution of responsibility to Local Government for building fire safety for shared accommodation.
6.2.3.2 The State Government should provide financial assistance to offset increased insurance and other costs incurred by Councils as a result of the devolved building fire safety responsibilities.
6.2.4 Heritage
6.2.4.1 Local Government acknowledges the role of history and heritage and the built environment in community cultural identity.
6.2.4.2 Local Government will actively engage through legislative processes and the development of best practice measures, which result in the preservation or adaptation of heritage places in a locally relevant way.
6.2.4.3 Local Government will engage with the State Government in the development and review of existing and proposed heritage legislation to ensure that it reflects the needs and processes of Local Government and local communities.
6.2.4.4 Local Government supports development of indigenous protocols or other measures which assist in integrating cultural heritage values into planning processes.
6.2.4.5 The Queensland Heritage Act 1992 should be amended to facilitate delegation of the powers of the Act to Local Government in relation to places of local heritage significance.
