Month: March 2025

Posted on

Man charged with trafficking following vehicle search

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Man charged with trafficking following vehicle search

Monday, 17 March 2025 – 10:39 am.

A man has been charged with trafficking after police seized quantities of methamphetamine and MDMA during a vehicle search on Friday evening.
Police from Central North intercepted the vehicle on Mole Creek Road just before 7.30pm, locating and seizing the drugs as well as ammunition and a stolen firearm part.
During a subsequent search of a private residence at Gravelly Beach, members of Central North, Northern Criminal Investigation Division and Launceston Uniform located and seized further quantities of MDMA, further ammunition, and two firearm silencers.
A 26-year-old Gravelly Beach man was arrested and charged with trafficking, firearms offences and minor drug offences.
He will appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court in May.

Posted on

Charges laid over fatal Glenorchy crash

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Charges laid over fatal Glenorchy crash

Monday, 17 March 2025 – 10:29 am.

A 41-year-old woman has been charged in relation to a fatal crash on Main Road, Glenorchy on 5 April 2024.
Following extensive crash investigations, the woman has been charged with causing death by negligent driving and drive without due care and attention.
She will appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court on 2 May 2025.

Posted on

Export grants supporting Aussie businesses

Source: Australian Attorney General’s Agencies

The Albanese Labor Government is rolling out larger grants for Australian exporters to help them take on the world through the Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) program.

Since the most recent grant round opened in November 2024, the government has delivered over $74 million in grant agreements to over 700 Australian exporters.

The average value of grant agreements executed in the most recent round has risen to $53,000. This is more than double the average grant amount for businesses than was provided under the former coalition government.

When we came to government, it was clear that the declining size of grants significantly reduced the value of the program for our exporters. We have worked to improve the program, so that exporters have greater support and the program is more effective.

Since its inception in 1974, the EMDG program has supported more than 51,000 Australian businesses to market their products and services in over 180 countries. It is administered by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission.

The government is committed to continuously improve businesses’ experience in applying for EMDG, and has appointed Mr Timothy Yeend to conduct the next independent review in accordance with section 106A of the Export Market Development Grants Act 1997.

Mr Yeend is trade expert with over 30 years’ experience working on trade and international business issues. He is a current board member of Tourism Australia and former Associate Secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. His knowledge of trade and what support export businesses need to compete on the global stage, coupled with his experience in government, will provide a solid foundation for this legislative review.

Consultations will commence in May 2025, with the final report to be provided to government by November 2025, in accordance with legislative timeframes.

Posted on

Signs of a slowing recruitment market

Source: Jobs and Skills Australia

Signs of a slowing recruitment market

Linda


News and updates
Recruitment

Figures reflect a labour market that is steady but slowing, with fewer new job openings and cautious hiring plans. Read more.

Posted on

How pumped hydro can be a viable large-scale energy asset for private investors

Source: Allens Insights (legal sector)

Financing the next generation of PHES projects 11 min read

Interest in pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) continues to grow as the need for affordable, long-term, firm and weather-independent dispatchable electricity becomes increasingly critical to Australia’s energy transition. However, its high upfront capital costs and complex planning, procurement, and delivery processes, in contrast with its low operational expenses, is prompting debate over its viability as a mainstream asset class and optimal funding strategies.

PHES assets in Australia are predominantly government-owned, reflecting an era when electricity generation was seen as a public utility and a national asset. The privatisation of many segments within the energy sector raises questions about the future ownership and funding of large-scale PHES assets in today’s market-driven environment.

In this Insight, we explore the challenges and opportunities related to the financing of PHES projects in Australia and outline possible offtake structures to ensure a successful project.

Key takeaways

  • Government corporations have traditionally owned and procured PHES assets in Australia.
  • Significant capital costs, extensive civil engineering, underground works and long lead times have made private sector ownership and access to debt capital markets for PHES challenging.
  • Recent advancements seen in the BESS sector underpinned by the development of innovative funding and offtake structures present a potential pathway by which PHES could follow and become a mainstream asset class.
  • In NSW in particular, there is significant government support for PHES projects, with the LDS LTESA and the new Energy Security Corporation focusing on investing in long-duration storage, and in South Australia the proposed Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism.

Background

Australia has a PHES fleet of approximately 1.6 GW across the Wivenhoe, Tumut 3 and Shoalhaven power stations, with an additional 2.2 GWs of generation expected to come online with the completion of the Snowy 2.0 expansion project. There is also a significant pipeline of privately procured PHES projects in various stages of feasibility and planning.

The scale, capital intensity and inherent complexities of delivering a PHES project has meant that, to date, every project that has come to market in Australia has been funded using some form of government support. The most recent example is the Kidston PHES, which reached financial close in 2021. Whilst a privately owned asset, the project was funded with a combination of equity capital, a government grant and a concessional loan.

A question therefore arises as to whether PHES should continue to seen as public infrastructure necessitating government investment, or market evolution will result in future PHES being funded exclusively by the private sector.

Could a PHES be privately funded?

In our view, yes, though in the short term, the success of PHES will depend on a combination of both private and public sector investment. The private sector faces a unique set of challenges when it comes to the development and funding of PHES projects.

PHES projects have long lead times and are capital-intensive. Upfront development costs are very high, and the construction period typically ranges between three to four years. Up to 80% of asset-life costs can be on upfront capital expenditure, which typically runs into several billions of dollars. As a consequence, PHES is beyond the investment horizons of many private sector investors and the future success of the sector will be contingent on investors gaining access to debt capital markets.

While the recent $3.5 billion debt financing of Snowy 2.0 is an encouraging example of the willingness of mainstream financiers to lend to PHES, it is a government-procured project backed by an AAA-rated counterparty. Privately procured PHES projects with more limited funding sources will be subject to much more stringent credit requirements. Recent examples of cost and time delays on major PHES projects and the trend towards collaborative contracting and pricing models represent potential challenges from a bankability perspective.

Prospective financiers will focus heavily on the developer’s chosen procurement model to ensure that there is firm pricing and transferred risk to limit volatility and exposure. Where there are elements of flexibility or uncapped pricing (for example as seen with approaches to managing geotechnical risk on recent government projects), we are seeing developers seeking to forward-solve these issues by implementing robust risk mitigation measures, including, alternative contracting methods, highly structured delay and performance liquidated damages regimes and intricate risk allocation arrangements.

In addition to enhanced procurement regimes, prospective financiers to PHES projects have, through market soundings, also indicated that highly conversative modelling assumptions and tighter financing terms will be required. As seen with other nascent renewables assets classes during their ascendancy (such as wind, solar and now BESS), developers will likely be required to also build in large contingency packages, contingent undrawn lines, accept front-ended repayment profiles, more stringent cash sweep and upside sharing mechanisms and lower gearing levels.

Access to debt capital markets will also be contingent on investors demonstrating that PHES as an asset class is commercially viable in the context of private ownership. Traditionally, governments have adopted a model of utilising PHES projects as a form of system support (ie where there has been a shortfall of supply during periods of peak demand). In contrast, private sector investors will need to monetise projects and demonstrate positive price differentials between pumping and generation.

Owing to the capital cost of PHES, the initial wave of privately held projects will be financed utilising multi-source funding structures. At least initially, it is expected that multilateral agencies which are spearheading Australia’s push to net zero, such as ARENA, the CEFC and NAIF, will provide concessional/grant funding alongside mainstream commercial debt. The limited pool of civil contractors with PHES experience in Australia, combined with a lack of a domestic OEM market will likely result in developers satisfying key credibility requirements for international export credit agencies to also participate in the financing of Australian PHES projects.

Unlocking private funding for PHES projects

Despite the challenges in financing PHES assets, recent market developments and potential future changes could pave the way for greater private funding of PHES projects.

The sheer scale of PHES projects means there is a limited pool of available investment-grade offtakes, and as a consequence, many pipeline PHES developers are seeking to underpin project economics through government revenue underwriting schemes such as the Long-term Energy Support Agreements (LTESA) and Capacity Investment Scheme Agreements (CISA).

While initially met with scepticism, these agreements are starting to be viewed favourably by financiers, representing a fixed revenue line against which debt sizing can be made. This has been demonstrated by the successful project financings of the Orana BESS project in mid-2024 (the first standalone financing of an LTESA) and recently EnergyAustralia’s Wooreen BESS project (the first standalone financing of a CISA). Both projects also demonstrate the potential upside these products offer to developers, with the revenue underwrite providing scope to trade all or part of a project’s capacity in the merchant market.

A potential challenge however is whether or not the LTESA and CIS programs are in fact ‘fit-for-purpose’ in the context of PHES, owing to their capital intensity and the quantum that these government support agreements will have to underwrite over the long term. There is a view by some market participants that a more traditional model, whereby the government acquires an equity interest in projects, would be better suited to PHES and would go some way towards solving a number of the key bankability concerns pipeline developers are currently grappling with.

The NSW Government has sought to address this issue through the Long Duration Storage (LDS) LTESA, which provides a tailored agreement for LDS projects (including PHES) to account for the fundamental differences in their operational and market context.

Key features of the LDS LTESA that benefit PHES projects are:

  • an underwriting mechanism that grants the operator a series of two-year options to access a variable annuity payment in the form of a top-up to net operational revenue – rather than short-term swaps, which are granted under the generation LTESA;
  • a minimum availability threshold of 97% rather than a minimum generation guarantee; and
  • a contract term of up to 40 years for PHES projects, compared to 20 years for a generation LTESA and 10 years for firming LTESAs.

The ACEN Phoenix PHES project was recently awarded an LDS LTESA, marking the first time a PHES project has been awarded an LTESA. AEMO Services has indicated that the next LDS tender round will open in the second quarter of 2025 and is encouraging projects with short lead times to participate in order to meet the 2030 minimum objective. This directive does not rule out PHES projects, with many of the PHES currently under development in Australia having expected completion dates of 2030 or earlier. PHES projects with longer lead times are encouraged to participate in future LDS tenders to help meet the 2034 minimum objective.

While there is no active mechanism in any other jurisdiction, the South Australian Government has announced its proposed Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM), which is similar to the NSW LDS LTESA tenders and Federal Capacity Investment Scheme, providing a revenue underwrite for long-duration capacity projects. All existing and new generators in South Australia with long-duration firm capacity >30MW (excluding coal) and that can dispatch for a period of at least eight continuous hours must participate in the FERM process, but are not required to bid for financial contracts. The South Australian Government is considering responses to the FERM and is expected to release an update in 2025. With NSW as the frontrunner in supporting LDS projects and SA proposing some support, other jurisdictions may consider similar regimes based on their progress.

In June 2024, the NSW Energy Security Corporation (ESC) was established to accelerate the state’s renewable energy transition. In February 2025, the government announced the first Investment Mandate for the ESC. The Investment Mandate sets out how the ESC will invest in renewable energy projects where private sector investments alone are insufficient. The ESC has been allocated $1 billion and will co-invest with private investors on PHES, as well as large-scale batteries, community batteries and virtual power plants.

The Investment Mandate did not provide a breakdown of how the $1 billion would be allocated amongst these projects. However, with a clear mandate to invest in PHES projects, there is hope that the ESC may be able to help address some of the challenges faced by private investment as set out above.

PHES is often referred to as a ‘water battery’. It is therefore unsurprising that revenue models which have underpinned the recent meteoric rise of the BESS market are similarly being adopted by PHES developers who are currently in the planning phase.

In particular, the rise of virtual offtake arrangements (ie where the offtaker makes virtual nominations that are effectively separate from the physical operation of the asset). These structures (and the significant capacity size of PHES) allow a developer to retain day-to-day control over the underlying PHES asset, split capacity across multiple offtakers, provide potential for greater equity upside (although also give rise to greater risk on the downside), and importantly can be treated off-balance sheet from an accounting perspective.

We are anticipating a further evolution of the virtual offtake market, particularly if storage projects can secure an underlying LTESA or CISA, which can give them a base level of security to trade the remaining capacity. Revenue sharing, caps and firmed supply (or a mixture of a number of structures) could be possible, and we expect the PHES market to take inspiration from the BESS market.

Actions you can take now

If you are considering entering the PHES space and exploring funding options, it is important to:

  • engage with financiers (both private and government, and concessional providers) early;
  • engage external counsel early and seek guidance on key bankability issues throughout the planning and feasibility phases;
  • develop your revenue stack during the planning phase (in consultation with financiers) and take into consideration the quickly evolving offtake market in the BESS sector;
  • for those projects in NSW:
    • prepare for the next LDS LTESA round which is slated to be undertaken before the second half of this year; 
    • engage with the ESC to explore how it will invest its $1 billion in the context of a PHES project; and
  • for those projects in South Australia, engage with the South Australian government and monitor for updates on the FERM process.
Posted on

Albanese Government infrastructure to help unlock 60,000 homes in New South Wales

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese Labor Government is building Australia’s future, giving the green light for critical infrastructure to support nearly 60,000 new homes and make more than 100 social houses available across New South Wales. 

We are providing $304.3 million to support housing development across the state, as part of our Housing Support Program.

The Albanese Government’s investment includes $76.1 million to boost social housing in key growth areas including Parramatta, Blacktown, Campbelltown, Randwick and Albury.

It also includes $228.2 million for five public place projects that will open up much-needed green and community spaces across the greater Sydney area. 

The new public space projects will be delivered under the NSW Government’s Parks for People program, which will be implemented over three successive phases with Bankstown, Bella Vista and Kellyville all included in the first stage.

Working in partnership with the Minns Labor Government, projects have been selected in the state’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) Accelerated Precincts to deliver parks and shared community spaces in high-priority growth areas.  

This will fill an essential piece of the puzzle by delivering green space in the city’s new urban precincts, providing places to exercise, rest and socialise. It means more homes, more jobs and more public parks within walking distance of accessible transport. 

This will create capacity for nearly 60,000 homes and 120,000 jobs around major metro and rail stations, including mandatory affordable housing. 

Our latest funding builds on more than $182 million already allocated across NSW for enabling infrastructure works such as roads, sewage and water, and to support new homes with connections to transport links and open spaces.

We’re also investing $610 million into NSW via the Social Housing Accelerator Fund, which is funding many of the state’s shovel-ready social housing projects. 

This is part of the Albanese Government’s $32 billion Home of Your Own Plan to meet the ambitious national target of building 1.2 million new, well-located homes over the next 5 years.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“We’re turbocharging housing supply by delivering the infrastructure New South Wales needs.

“A place to call home is fundamental, but for too many Australians has been out of reach.

“Addressing housing shortages will take all levels of Government to respond, which is why we’re working in lockstep with the Minns Labor Government to fast-track housing development across the state. 

“This means more homes, more jobs and more green space in well-located, well-connected growth areas.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Housing and Homelessness Clare O’Neil: 

“This investment shows just how important it is to have a Commonwealth Government that works in coperation with State governments – like the Minns Government – to deliver more well located houses for more people.

“We’re starting the largest house build in Australian history. We have an ambitious target for 1.2 million new homes and we’re delivering 55,000 social and affordable rental homes. We’re directly investing in building new homes – just like we used to. 

“We are tackling this housing crisis from every angle, which includes working closely with States and Territories to make sure there is critical infrastructure to support homes in a cities and regions.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

“The Commonwealth’s investment will help NSW address our housing challenges and deliver on the National Housing Accord target.

“Through the Minns Government’s Transport Oriented Development Accelerated Precincts we’re delivering nearly 60,000 homes, and these areas include great public greenspaces thanks to this funding from the Albanese Government.”

Quotes attributable to NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson: 

“Every bit of funding helps and we’re thankful to the Commonwealth for this additional support to help us house people who need it as soon as we possibly can.  

“This is a significant investment, and it allows us to make an instant impact during a housing crisis.  

“The Homes NSW teams have been scouring the state for opportunities to acquire fit-for-purpose housing that will be immediately used to house those who are most in need.”

Posted on

Road blitz delivers for south-east Melbourne

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The Albanese and Allan Labor Governments are fixing roads across Victoria, improving safety and better connecting Melbourne’s suburbs, Victoria’s regions, and surrounds.

The Australian and Victorian Governments will deliver two new road projects in a big win for the south-east:

  • Nepean Highway and Overton Road Intersection Upgrade ($50 million)
  • McLeod Road and Mornington Peninsula Freeway Intersection Upgrade ($25 million)

The Nepean Highway and Overton Road Intersection Upgrade will enhance road safety for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists by installing traffic signals and improving footpath connectivity to the existing Kananook Creek Trail.

The McLeod Road and Mornington Peninsula Freeway Intersection Upgrade will deliver improvements to this intersection, supporting journeys between the south-east suburbs and the coast.

These will be transformative projects for Melbourne’s south-east, improving the lives of residents from Carrum to Frankston and beyond.  

The projects are part of the Albanese Labor Government’s $1 billion Road Blitz, matching the existing near-billion dollar road blitz campaign by the Allan Labor Government, who have since added an additional $200 million.

This money is ready, right now, to fix roads in need of critical upgrades.

This follows funding already allocated to three projects under the Road Blitz, including:

  • Sealing and upgrading 5.6km of Old Sydney Road from the Mitchell/Hume boundary, Mickleham, to Camerons Lane, Beveridge.
  • Completing the duplication of Evans Road, Cranbourne, between Duff Street and Central Parkway.
  • Delivering further works at the intersection of McLeod Road and Station Street, Carrum, including adjustments to improve signalisation and traffic flow.

Delivery timeframes for the projects will be determined in consultation with the Victorian Government.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese:

“My Government is building Australia’s future – and that means building Victoria’s future too. We want to make sure all Victorians have the services and the infrastructure they need now and into the future.

“We will continue to partner with the Victorian Government to deliver critical road upgrades to provide immediate congestion relief now.

“This is good for local jobs, good for local businesses and good for commuters.”

Quotes attributable to Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan:

“Every Victorian wants to spend less time stuck in traffic and more time with family – that’s why we’re delivering major road upgrades across Melbourne’s south-east and faster and safer journeys for decades to come.”

“As we build more homes, we are making sure our fastest growing communities have the transport infrastructure they deserve now and into the future.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“We’re fixing roads right across Victoria; from Ararat to Gippsland to Melbourne, we’re giving Victorians the infrastructure they deserve after being short-changed by the former Coalition government. 

“These will be transformative projects for Melbourne’s south-east, better connecting these growing suburbs with the city and the region.

“The Road Blitz will fund projects to improve network efficiency, travel times and road safety in key areas of Melbourne and its surrounds, to match the Victorian Government’s Road Blitz which is largely focused on the regions.

Quotes attributable to Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure Gabrielle Williams:

“After ten years of neglect from the federal Liberal National Party, it’s fantastic to have a partner in Canberra that can find Victoria on a map and deliver critical investments to keep our state moving.”

“Our growing communities deserve the very best road connections, which is why we are investing more to improve traffic flow and boost safety.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Dunkley Jodie Belyea:

“As a local who travels frequently across our community, I know this investment will make a major difference for pedestrians and road users.

“These upgrades will enhance safety for pedestrians and road users in our local community.

“These upgrades will make our local roads safer and get people moving faster.

“This money is ready right now, to deliver two major road upgrades in our community.

“Only the Albanese Labor Government is continuing to invest in roads and infrastructure in our local community, building Australia’s future.”

Posted on

Changes to the Minns Government Ministry

Source:

Published: 17 March 2025

Statement by: The Premier

Today I am announcing changes to the Cabinet and the Ministry of the NSW Government.

The Hon John Graham MLC will remain the Special Minister of State, the Minister for the Arts, the Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy and will permanently take on the role of Minister for Transport

The Hon Jenny Aitchison MP will become the Minister for Roads and the Minister for Regional Transport. Regional roads will now be incorporated into the Roads portfolio. As a regional MP Jenny Aitchison is well placed to ensure the needs of regional and rural communities are met.

John Graham will continue to take carriage of the Government’s response to the toll review given the Government is mid-negotiation with toll companies about reforming the system.

The Hon Steve Kamper MP will be sworn in as the Minister for Jobs and Tourism, in addition to his responsibilities as the Minister for Lands and Property, the Minister for Multiculturalism and the Minister for Sport.

The Minns Labor Government is proud to welcome Janelle Saffin into the NSW Cabinet, to be sworn in as the Minister for Recovery, the Minister for Small Business, and the Minister for the North Coast.

Janelle is one of the most experienced MPs in the NSW Government. She has been instrumental in helping the Lismore community and surrounds recover from the 2022 floods as well as the recent impacts from Ex Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

She has intimate knowledge of the workings of the NSW Reconstruction Authority and will be a very strong advocate and voice for the North Coast as well as small businesses across the state.

Emily Suvaal will also be appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary for Trade and Small Business.

Parliamentary Secretaries perform an important role in supporting Ministers and driving action to deliver on government priorities in Parliament and Emily is an excellent addition to the team.

These are important changes to the NSW Ministry that will ensure we continue to invest in essential services that people rely on, and build a better NSW.

Posted on

Custom designed armoured vehicles handed over to NSW Police Force

Source:

Published: 17 March 2025

Released by: Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism

The NSW Government is today launching five new Tactical Armoured Vehicles, which will significantly strengthen the capability of the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) to respond to high-risk, tactical and counter-terrorism situations.

The armoured Lenco ‘Bearcat’ vehicles were custom designed and custom built for the specific needs of the NSWPF – at a total cost of $3.5 million.

All five Bearcats will be strategically positioned across NSW to support the work of Tactical Police and Police Negotiaters.

Key features include ballistically rated steel and glass with riot shield covers, rotating roof hatches, spotlights, external speakers, high-tech camera systems and advanced technical and communication capabilities.

In an Australian first, one of the new Bearcats is equipped with an extendable ramp to allow police to quickly and safely access multi-storey buildings and aircraft. This vehicle will be stationed in Sydney, the other four vehicles will be stationed in northern, western and southern regions – allowing the Tactical Operation Unit and Tactical Operations Regional Squads to quickly respond to high-risk situations.

The five new Bearcats bring the total number of specialised armoured vehicles in NSW to six and will further allow officers to swiftly and effectively respond to high-risk and counter-terrorism situations, ensuring the safety of the people of NSW.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Yasmin Catley said:

“These custom vehicles will greatly improve the capability of the Tactical Operations Unit to respond to and disrupt high-risk situations across the state.

“The NSW Police Force is world class so it’s only fitting it has modern resources and technology to fight crime and keep our community safe.

“Only a Labor Government backs our hardworking police 100% and ensures they have the capability they need.”

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM said:

“These vehicles are deployed by the Tactical Operation Unit during high-risk situations.

“This is about protecting our specialist officers.

“All of these vehicles are bullet and blast resistant and have the capacity to transport hostages or injured personnel.”

Posted on

Sydney man fined more than $470,000 for unlicensed and uninsured building work

Source:

Published: 16 March 2025

Released by: Minister for Building

A Sydney man has been hit with a $473,000 fine after being found guilty of more than 40 breaches involving unlicensed and uninsured residential building work for four consumers in 2022.

Anthony Abi-Merhi, a sole trader business operating under the name “Triscapes” quoted one consumer $99,500 for a job which ended up costing the consumer $142,000.

During the investigation, Building Commission NSW identified offences including unlicensed work, excessive deposits, and work undertaken without Home Building Compensation Fund insurance.

He was also found guilty of 27 charges of demanding or receiving payment for building without insurance, while carrying out landscaping work in south-western Sydney.

In NSW, a licence or certificate is required to do any residential building work, including general building work valued at more than $5,000 in labour and materials.

This includes construction, repairs, renovating or decorating a property. 

For contracts valued at more than $5,000 the maximum deposit to cover labour and materials is 10 per cent. 

Home Building Compensation Fund Insurance is required for projects valued at more than $20,000 and contractors must obtain this cover before starting any work or accepting any payments including deposits.

This insurance provides a safety net for consumers facing incomplete or defective work in certain circumstances.

The defendant has 28 days to exercise a right to appeal in respect of the sentence.

For more information on choosing the right tradesperson for the job visit the Step by step guide to choosing the right tradesperson or builder webpage.

To check a contractor’s name or licence number visit the Verify Licence website.

To access the Contract checklist visit the Fair Trading website.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong:

“This serious $470,000 fine for unlicensed building work sends a clear message to builders – the Minns Government is serious about eradicating cowboys and shonks from the NSW home construction industry. 

“Building Commission NSW inspectors are now out in force and will come down hard on those caught doing the wrong thing.

“Consumers should only engage a contractor once they have researched their credentials including by looking them up on the Verify Licence website, to make sure their licence is valid and whether the licence has any conditions or regulatory issues attached to it.

“You can also check user ratings online from other consumers who have used the trader, and make sure you use the handy Contract Checklist page on the Fair Trading website before signing a contract and paying any money.”