WA Building Services Board Gains Power to Compel Information and Cancel Registrations; $5,000 Fine for Contractors Who Fail to Report Trust Changes

Building Services Legislation Amendment (Financial Oversight) Bill 2026

17 Sep 2026: MPs in the first house are debating whether this bill is a good idea in principle.

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

building services building standards contractor registration corporate governance data privacy financial services housing industry regulation professional licensing

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

The Board can amend, suspend or cancel contractor registrations.
The Board can cancel a registration if a person refuses to provide requested information.
The Board can notify contractors if it believes they fail to meet financial requirements.
The Board can notify related contractors if a primary contractor's registration is suspended or cancelled.
The Building Commissioner can share information with approved insurers.
The Board can extend the time a person has to respond to a notice.
The Building Services Board can force people to provide information or answers. This includes information the person does not have yet but can create or find using existing data.
The Board can suspend the registration of a building service provider if the Building Commissioner reports that the provider ignored a Board direction.
Building service contractors who act as trustees for a building business can be fined $5,000 if they fail to report a major change to the trust arrangements.
The Board can demand proof that a contractor meets financial requirements. If the contractor cannot prove this, the Board may cancel their registration.
The Board can also demand financial proof from a contractor related to a primary contractor who is under review for financial issues.
The Board must not register or renew the registration of any person or company that is currently suspended or linked to a suspended officer.
The Board can request credit reports from credit reporting bodies to check applicants, monitor registered providers, or handle disciplinary matters.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Dr Tony Buti ALP

“I move: That the bill be now read a second time. The Building Services Legislation Amendment (Financial Oversight) Bill 2026 delivers necessary and long-overdue reform to Western Australia’s building regulatory framework.”

Official source →

News articles and press releases

WA Housing Boost: Building Law Reforms Unveiled

Dr Tony Buti, WA Commerce Minister — 2026-05-13

While the vast majority of builders do the right thing, this Bill will help ensure we don’t have rogue operators taking money from customers when they’re unable to do the work and will allow customers to get their homes built. Building regulators will be able to assess and act on financial concerns much sooner, providing reassurance for homeowners, suppliers and subcontractors who will be potentially impacted.