If you operate a construction and building industry business in Queensland, you would know that there are annual reporting requirements associated with your Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) licence.

When you applied for your QBCC contractor-grade licence, you needed to show that you had the required working capital and net tangible assets. The annual reporting laws mean you must continue to provide financial information each year to keep satisfying these financial requirements. This is to ensure that every building contractor who operates in Queensland has a viable and sustainable business.

Licensees in all categories are required to submit their 2019-2020 financial information by 31 December 2020.

What happens if you get QBCC wrong?

Failure to meet the QBCC annual reporting requirements can result in the suspension of a building licence and fines of:

more than $2,600 for individuals
more than $13,000 for companies
prosecutions for those that do not submit their reports by the due date

During September 2020 alone, QBCC compliance activity resulted in the following regulatory action:

$378,100 recovered for construction industry participants as a result of monies owed complaints
113 directions to rectify issued
109 infringements issued for breaches of the law
100 licences suspended for failure to comply with MFR, and 20 suspended for other reasons including not meeting nominee requirements and failing to pay debts
4 licences cancelled for failure to comply with MFR, and 16 cancelled for other reasons including not meeting nominee requirements, failing to pay debts and exclusions

It is therefore paramount that businesses in the Queensland building industry have a managed plan in place to comply with these obligations.

When to get help

Where the financial review process is only undertaken annually (such as year-end financial statements and tax returns) the opportunities to make tough decisions, financially restructure, or adjust for changing market conditions are unlikely to be managed appropriately.

We therefore advise regular monitoring of QBCC ratios to ensure any problems are picked up and solved well before you lodge your annual report. This is particularly important if you are worried about:

Exceeding your Maximum Revenue;
A decrease in your Net Tangible Assets; or
Not meeting the Current Ratio (1:1 ratio of current assets to current liabilities) requirements.

Where to get help

Check if you’re compliant by organising a meeting with one of our QBCC specialists who will be able to make sure that you’re meeting your requirements and work out an action plan if your numbers don’t add up. You can reach us on (07) 3023 4800 or at mail@marshpartners.com.au.

You can find out more about working with Marsh & Partners here. As your Absolute.Account.Ability partner we’re on a mission to make your business life better. We’ll help you set goals for your business, devise an Action Plan to make them happen and meet with you regularly to ensure you stay on track.

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