Last Updated on 03/02/2026 by Damin Murdock
As at 5 May 2013, Fair Work Building & Construction has recovered over $2 million in unpaid wages and entitlements from employers in the building and construction industry. For those who may not be aware, on 1 February 2013, the new Fair Work (Building Industry) Act 2012 came into effect (the “Act”). The object of the Act is to:
- ensure compliance with workplace relation laws;
- provide means of enforcing the rights and obligations;
- provide safeguards on the use of the enforcement and investigative powers; and
- improve the level of occupational health and safety, in the building industry. To assist with the investigations with respect to whether a particular company is compliant with the building laws of Australia, the Act has granted special powers to:
- Authorised investigators to perform site visits to investigate whether a company is compliant with the building laws of Australia by obtaining information from a site or forcing persons to produce documents and/or attend to answer questions; and
Federal Safety Officers to monitor compliance with the building laws of Australia so far as they relate to occupational health and safety to:
- inspect any work, material or machinery;
- take samples;
- interview any person; or
- inspect and make copies of any document that is on the premises or is assessable from a computer kept on the premises.
In light of the recent announcement made by Fair Work Building & Construction, it is clear they have commenced the targeted audits, site visits and assessment of complaints by employees and/or sub-contractors.
If you have any questions in relation to this article, please contact Damin Murdock at Leo Lawyers on (02) 8201 0051 or at office@leolawyers.com.au.
DISCLAIMER: This article is not to be taken as legal advice and is general in nature. If you require specific advice, please contact us.
Damin Murdock (J.D | LL.M | BACS - Finance) is a seasoned commercial lawyer with over 17 years of experience, recognised as a trusted legal advisor and courtroom advocate who has built a formidable reputation for delivering strategic legal solutions across corporate, commercial, construction, and technology law. He has held senior leadership positions, including director of a national Australian law firm, principal lawyer of MurdockCheng Legal Practice, and Chief Legal Officer of Lawpath, Australia's largest legal technology platform. Throughout his career, Damin has personally advised more than 2,000 startups and SMEs, earning over 300 five-star reviews from satisfied clients who value his clear communication, commercial pragmatism, and in-depth legal knowledge. As an established legal thought leader, he has hosted over 100 webinars and legal videos that have attracted tens of thousands of views, reinforcing his trusted authority in both legal and business communities."
