Crackdown on dodgy builders passes the Tasmania Parliament 

Tasmanians building their new home will have stronger protections against dodgy operators, with the passage of the Occupational Licensing Amendment Bill 2026.

Minister for Small Business, Trade and Consumer Affairs, Guy Barnett, said the passage of the Bill delivered on the Government’s commitment to protect Tasmanians from dodgy builders and illegal phoenixing.

“This Bill delivers important reforms to protect Tasmanians and safeguard the industry from a small minority of substandard operators,” Minister Barnett said.

“The Bill strengthens Tasmania's occupational licensing and disciplinary framework, giving the Administrator of Occupational Licensing clearer powers to act against those who fail to meet the standards expected of licensed practitioners.

“It also prevents dodgy operators from phoenixing, liquidating their companies to unfairly avoid paying debts, only to reappear under a new name.

“This impacts consumers, subcontractors and workers, often leaving them with no way to recover lost funds.

“The Bill closes this loophole by making prior insolvency grounds for building licence refusal or disqualification, directly affecting their ability to operate in the sector.

“The vast majority of tradespeople working in Tasmania’s building industry are highly skilled and work to high standards. These reforms protect Tasmanians but also the industry as a whole from the few who do the wrong thing.

“A key priority of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future is to see more homes built as quickly as possible.

"Strengthening confidence and certainty in the building and construction sector through reforms such as these is important for the delivery of new homes across Tasmania.”