Last week, NECA together with Dai Le MP, Federal Member for Fowler hosted a roundtable at Australian Parliament House to discuss unfair contract terms within the construction industry.
The attendees included the Hon Dr Andrew Leigh MP, Andrew Wallace MP, RACCA Australia, Master Plumbers Australia and New Zealand, Master Electricians Australia, AMCA Australia, ETU, Fredon, and Specialist Contractors Association. Together, we aim to develop recommendations to the government to protect subcontractors from unfair terms commonly found in construction contracts.
Federal Member for Fowler, Dai Le MP wrapped up her address to the Federation Chamber yesterday afternoon by speaking about the unfair contract terms roundtable she hosted alongside the National Electrical and Communications Association (NECA) earlier this week.
Ms Le spoke about the unnecessary pressures unfair contracts are placing on the industry and the effects these are having on small and medium sized businesses.
The unfair contract terms has been a long-standing issue within the construction industry, with many subcontractors facing unfair and unbalanced contract terms imposed by head contractors. These contracts often include clauses that allow for unilateral changes to be made, late payments, and unreasonable liability provisions. This not only impacts the financial stability of subcontractors but also puts them at a disadvantage in disputes with head contractors.