• Nominated supervisors must provide proper management and supervision
• Western Australian Construction Pty Ltd (WAC) is now in administration
• Another WAC nominated supervisor, Salah M.A. Qarout, was cautioned last year

A building company supervisor who failed to adequately oversee projects for several months has been penalised $10,000 at the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) following disciplinary action by Building and Energy.

After mediation at the SAT in February 2022, Wayne Anthony Jones (BC/BP10528) of Myaree agreed that he did not fulfil his duties as the nominated supervisor for Western Australian Construction (WAC) Pty Ltd (BC102149, expired) between September 2019 and June 2020.

The Kardinya-based company entered administration in December 2020.

Agreed facts from the SAT order show that Mr Jones did not adequately check building permits, contracts or the compliance of work carried out by tradespeople and contractors.

Mr Jones also failed to ensure that WAC had proper processes in place for key tasks such as obtaining and confirming building permits, client liaison and estimating and scheduling materials, equipment and labour.

The facts also highlight Mr Jones’ insufficient engagement with WAC’s building projects and clients’ inquiries about construction defects or delays.

Inadequate management and supervision by a nominated supervisor is a disciplinary matter under WA’s builder registration laws. The agreed facts showed that Mr Jones had faced no previous allegations during his 30-year career in the building sector.

Building and Energy Executive Director Saj Abdoolakhan said registered building contractors are required by law to have a nominated supervisor for their work.

“The role of nominated supervisor involves much more than a name on paper,” he said.

“The responsibilities of this position must be carried out actively and diligently. This significant penalty shows the serious consequences of not providing adequate oversight of building work.”

A separate matter related to WAC concluded in September 2021 when the Building Services Board issued a caution to another former nominated supervisor, Salah M.A. Qarout (BP102011), for management and supervision failures at WAC from June 2017 to September 2019.

Other allegations related to WAC are pending in the SAT.

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Media contact: BEmedia@dmirs.wa.gov.au

Note: BC and BP numbers refer to registration as a building contractor or building practitioner. The registers of building service providers are available at commerce.wa.gov.au/buildersearch