NSW State Recap – Winter 2020

With a semblance of familiarity creeping back into our lives as Public Health Orders have continued to ease restrictions imposed due to COVID-19; we’re proud of the hurdles SCA (NSW), and its members have overcome as a community, and the continued work that allows us to deliver expert services and support and advocate for the Strata industry as a whole.

As Winter continues to bring its chill to the nation, we continue taking strides in projects that we launched earlier this year; all while navigating the challenges the coronavirus has presented.

COVID-19:

Heading into lockdown earlier this year, our goal was to be agile when lockdowns were enforced, and our business continuity plan ensured that we were able to continue our service delivery in the best way able for our members.

We have recently updated our fluid and central guide to help keep members informed during this time of crisis, especially within a strata community.

SCA (NSW) continue to collaborate with State, Federal and international counterparts to implement virus control strategies to educate and support our members as best possible:

⧁ We have shared vital information about novel coronavirus, its symptoms, tips for reducing the likelihood of contracting the virus and reinforced the requirement for the practice of handwashing and general hygiene

⧁ We developed a COVID-19 portal on our website to deliver information in a centralised easy to access manner

⧁ We organised our education delivery service to be moved entirely online

⧁ We have scheduled and run up to three webinars weekly for members and the community with expert and industry guests

We have worked tirelessly to ensure our members received the most up to date information possible and we’re proud of the service our team has delivered.

Our thoughts are with our state counterparts and interstate members who are experiencing spikes in their communities, and we wish them nothing but health and wellbeing.

Professional Standards Scheme:

Earlier this year SCA (NSW), initiated the process of forming our own Professional Standards Scheme regulated by the Professional Standards Australia; a lengthy, beneficial, and most importantly, revolutionary step forward for our industry. A decision which synergises with NSW Government expectations and innovation necessary within our sector.

Their plans for industry-wide reform will not be driven by government alone. Associations (like us), are working towards lifting professional standards to aide in the Government’s efforts to resort sector confidence and we are embracing their expectations in uplifting regulations across the sector.

Our hope is that by attaining a Professional Standards Scheme, we professionalise the Strata Management industry to the highest level. This is in line with the New South Wale’s Government plan to rebuild the construction sector, restore confidence and enshrine competence, professionalism, and a form of self-regulation within the industry.

Construction and Confidence in NSW:

Rubber has hit the road as the NSW parliament finally passes building reforms introduced in the wake of high-profile Sydney apartment defects.

Both the Design and Building Practitioners Bill 2019, and the Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Bill 2020 were assented in June 2020.

Combined, these two Bills put the interests of consumers first and show that the Government is serious about lifting the standard of work across the building and construction sector.

SCA (NSW) are pleased that these Bills have been collaboratively developed through extensive consultation with industry stakeholders such as us, to ensure that the reforms were comprehensive and addressed core issues.

We now have a leading system of design and building regulation that will deliver well-constructed buildings into the future.

Strata Portal:

The building defects crisis has spotlighted the potential vulnerability of consumers buying off the plan.

There has been substantial loss of confidence in new apartments in NSW. While the strata communities have grown, there has been no equal investments to support these strata communities.

As part of identifying high level requirements, SCA (NSW), has been part of the roundtable discussions for the Minimum Viable Product that can assist to improve the transparency, accountability, and quality of work within the building sector.

SCA (NSW) recognises that without this central digital workflow and repository, the government’s ability to implement and enforce the new building reforms would be severely restricted.

Research Project:

SCA (NSW) have helped to fund critical research investigating and addressing the prevalence and occurrence of defects which is an issue affecting many schemes across New South Wales.

Despite these problems, there is no comprehensive data available on defective apartment buildings in NSW: we don’t know how many buildings are affected, what kinds of defects exist, or why they’ve occurred.

Driving the research is the City Futures Research Centre (through UNSW); to identify and quantify defects in strata across NSW, examine causation of quality issues and propose innovative solutions.

Along with SCA (NSW), the City Futures Research Centre have a team of industry partners supporting this new research project to address the defect problem.

The ‘Defects Rectification Guide’ is developed as a first point of call if owners are worried about defects in apartment buildings.

ICIRT:

SCA (NSW), is pleased to be part of a collaboration of nationally focused Industry stakeholders to assist the Building Commissioner David Chandler. Our work is to consult on the establishment of a ratings tool (ICIRT), to restore public trust and consumer confidence in construction.

Our role in the built environment industry is representing our strata managers, lot owners and stakeholders living in, residing, or working in strata titled property. We are part of the iCIRT Industry Group as part of ongoing advocacy work in the property sector.

SCA (NSW) has and continues to share insights into the performance of builders and developers, sharing experiences of our membership on quality of work or issues around defects, remedial works, or new developments.

We see value in an improved operating environment with more independent verification and rating.

Keep your eyes peeled… Over the next few months, we have some new initiatives and exciting announcements to share, kicking off what we believe to be an eventful second half of 2020.

On behalf of the Board, we wish all our members to stay healthy, stay connected and stay safe.