<div>We are a couple and small business owners whose <strong>lives have been devastated by </strong>a failed building project in 2020,<strong> Government Maladministration (deliberate wrongdoing!) at the VBA/BPC, and years of unresolved legal and tribunal proceedings at VCAT over more than 5 years.</strong>
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<div>As a consequence, we have <strong>sustained severe psychiatric injuries, and catastrophic financial damages, of more than $960,000</strong>.
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<div>We should have moved into a compliant home during <strong>November 2020.</strong> Instead, every day of our lives is filled with <strong>severe stress and anxiety</strong>. and <strong>we lost 8 precious people </strong>(family and friends) <strong>in our lives.</strong>
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<div><strong>All donations will help</strong> us with urgent living costs, medical and psychological support, housing stability, medical reports, etc. while we are still trying to resolve the matter.
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<div>For more than 6 years we are <strong>paying interest on a construction loan</strong> for a dwelling <strong><em>that can never be lived </em>in</strong> due to the non-compliance. This alone already added up to more than $90,000 since 2020.
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<div>In late 2019, we entrusted a builder and building practitioners with the construction of our dream home. The construction <strong>started in March 2020 but was never finished</strong>. All parties involved left us with an <strong>ongoing nightmare</strong>.
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<div><strong>Most building practitioners failed to provide compliant building work, incl. plumbers. </strong>Despite non-compliance, they issued compliance certificates to the VBA/BPC.
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<div>What is wrong with these people?
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<div>In summary:
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<li>Mandatory stage inspections (incl. foundation and frame) <strong>approved despite non-compliance</strong>.
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<li>Slab <strong>approximately 500 mm (50 cm) too low </strong>and <strong>almost 350 mm below ground level</strong>.
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<li>Non-compliant <strong>foundation</strong> which results in slab movement.
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<li>Non-compliant <strong>wall framing</strong> which results in a sagging roof and cracks to the interior and exterior.
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<li>Non-functional <strong>stormwater system, </strong>caused by the slab being 0.5 m too low, with water overflowing at the gutters.
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<li>Non-functional <strong>sewer plumbing</strong> (for septic tank) with <strong>backflow to the house</strong>, caused by the slab being 0.5 m too low.
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<li>Non-compliant <strong>box gutters </strong>- overflowing and missing sump.
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<li>Non-compliant <strong>verandah footings and structure</strong>.
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<li>Second-hand <strong>roof tiles</strong> with flaking and discoloured surface.
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<li>Non-compliant <strong>internal plumbing</strong>.
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<li>And many more defects
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<div>The lender valued the house (twice) at $0.
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<div><strong>Demolition will be the only way to ensure full compliance</strong> with the Building Code of Australia (BCA).
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<div><strong>What about the Victorian Government?</strong>
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<div>During <strong>June/July 2020</strong>, we <strong>asked</strong> <strong>for help</strong> from the building surveyor . The building surveyor acknowledged <strong>various issues</strong>, but these were <strong>never resolved</strong>.
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<div>In mid August 2020, the building surveyor <strong>referred</strong> the matter <strong>to the </strong>Victorian Building Authority <strong>(VBA) </strong>and closed his own case<strong>. </strong>The VBA <strong>never took action</strong> either.
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<div>During <strong>August 2020, we asked the VBA for help</strong>. The VBA refused a site visit. A document and <strong>photos which evidence the non-compliant building work </strong>were provided in <strong>October 2020</strong>. The VBA <strong>closed the complaint</strong> again in early December 2020. The relevant Minister failed to step in.
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<div>Upon request, the <strong>VBA visited the site in April 2021 </strong>and <strong>identified various plumbing issues</strong>, including defects related to the <strong>slab being 0.5m too low </strong>and the <strong>non-functional stormwater system</strong>.
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<div>Nobdy took action to address the matters.
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<div>After further complaints, the VBA conducted an <strong>8-month investigation</strong> from July 2021 until March 2022. In <strong>May 2022</strong>, the VBA concluded again that the<strong> building surveyor had not committed any breaches</strong> and <strong>closed the case</strong>.
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<div>The VBA mentioned ongoing investigations into the building inspector and the builder, but <strong>never took any action</strong>.
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<div><strong>Another 2 years later, </strong>during June 2024, <strong>VBA CEO, Anna Cronin, </strong>requested an independent investigation into the matter.
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<div>New <strong>investigation reports</strong> in August 2024 <strong>confirmed </strong>that <strong>the building work for ALL mandatory inspection stages was non-compliant</strong>. The reports <strong>also confirmed</strong> that the building surveyor, building inspector and builder<strong> had committed severe breaches</strong>.
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<div>How could the VBA have denied the breaches for 4 years?
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<div><strong>The director for Compliance and Enforcement delibereratly shielded all building practitioners </strong>by not taking any action and telling us lies.
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<div>Even the <strong>2024 VBA reports </strong>were materially <strong>manipulated</strong> to <strong>protect the building surveyor.</strong>
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<div>This is called <strong>Government Maladministration</strong>.
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<div>The <strong>VBA CEO confirmed</strong> in a letter in July 2024 the severe harm caused: <em>“This issue has been ongoing for around four years and has been the cause of </em><strong><em>very significant mental health and financial impact</em></strong><em>…” and “…it has become apparent to me that a contributing factor to their </em><strong><em>ongoing mental stress</em></strong><em> has been the extensive correspondence required with various Government agencies.”</em>
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<div>The VBA's failures were <strong>documented in the published report</strong> "Victorian Building Authority – <strong>The Case for Transformation.</strong>"
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<div><a href="https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/185745/VBA-The-Case-for-Transformation.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/185745/VBA-The-Case-for-Transformation.pdf" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.vba.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/185745/VBA-The-Case-for-Transformation.pdf</a></a>
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<div>Our story was <strong>one of the case studies in that report</strong>. The report was used to announce the VBA’s "rebranding" to the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC).
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<div>We were <strong>left without compensation, protection, or any practical pathway to recovery,</strong> despite the <strong>Government's admissions</strong> <strong>of wrongdoing</strong> that caused the severe injuries.
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<div>We feel <strong>exploited by a system</strong> that acknowledges its own regulatory failures, as exposed by the Weir report, yet <strong>leaves us to carry the devastating financial, emotional and personal consequences, without accountability, meaningful assistance or redress</strong>.
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<div><strong>What happened to the building practitioners?</strong>
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<div>The BPC issued “Disciplinary Actions” <strong>in late 2025, more than 14 months after </strong>the August 2024 VBA Investigation reports. All building practitioners <strong>appealed </strong>these Disciplinary Actions. The disciplinary actions are therefore “<strong>stayed</strong>” while the appeals are on foot. In other words, there have been <strong>no practical consequences</strong> and it remains “business as usual”.
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<div>The <strong>BPC </strong>and the other parties <strong>also objected</strong> to our <strong>request to be heard </strong>at VCAT as a severely affected party (<strong>witness</strong>). This means the <strong>severely affected</strong> <strong>homeowners may remain unheard</strong>.
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<div>Does this sound right?
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<div><strong>Did the members of parliament provide any support?</strong>
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<div>The following members of the parliament were contacted but <strong>did NOT offer any support</strong>:
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<li><a href="https://ombudsman.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marlo Baragwanath</a> (Ombudsman)
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<li><a href="https://parliament.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nick Staikos</a> (Minister for Housing, Victoria)
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<li><a href="https://parliament.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sonya Kilkenny</a> (Minister for Planning, Victoria)
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<li><a href="https://parliament.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jaclyn Symes</a> (Treasurer , Victoria)
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<li><a href="https://parliament.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jacinta Allan</a> (Former Premier of Victoria)
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<li><a href="https://parliament.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paul Edbrooke</a> (Minister for Consumer Affairs, Victoria)
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<li><a href="https://aph.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catherine King</a> (local member)
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<li><a href="https://parliament.vic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Juliana Addison</a> (local member)
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<li>Michaela Settle (local member)
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<li><a href="https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/martha-haylett/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martha Haylett</a>(local member)
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<li><a href="https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members/jacinta-ermacora/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jacinta Ermacora</a> (local member)
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<div>Why did elected representatives not intervene in a case that involved <strong>documented regulatory failure and severe personal injuries</strong>?
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<div><strong>Why is there still no resolution after more than 5 years?</strong>
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<div>From December 2020 onwards, the VBA and ministers "advised" us to <strong>resolve the building dispute at VCAT</strong>. A VCAT application was filed in October 2021. 
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<div>VCAT's own guidelines state that domestic building disputes are generally <strong>expected to resolve within about 2 years</strong>.
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<div>So why, after <strong>more than 4.5 years</strong>, is there still no end in sight?
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<div>The answer is sad and simple: "unhelpful" lawyers, <strong>broken VCAT processes, and abuse of process </strong>by the other parties. For example, the builder <strong>filed his defence 2 years and 9 months late</strong>. The “expert” report also contained false and misleading information.
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<div>Why <strong>was filing almost 3 years late accepted</strong> by VCAT?
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<div>Nobody intervened.
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<div>In 2024, the respondents filed <strong>cost applications</strong> against us, which were unsuccessful but delayed the VCAT matter by more than 9 months and resulted in additional costs.
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<div>Nobody intervened.
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<div>In 2025, the respondents <strong>joined other parties, without merit</strong>. The This again delayed the VCAT matter by more than 9 months and resulted in additional costs.
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<div>Nobody intervened.
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<div>In December 2025, the <strong>mediation at VCAT failed </strong>as the respondents had no desire to resolve the dispute and offered a small fraction as compensation for the actual damage caused.
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<div>The pattern shows <strong>deliberate delay tactics to avoid a decision</strong> on the core defects for years, escalate costs, and further harm to us.
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<div>And then there was another devastating related matter from June 2025 until October 2026, inflicted by the building sureyor, which has caused us even more harm....
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<div><strong>The real-life impact on us</strong>
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<div>If all parties had properly constructed and inspected the house, then we <strong>would have moved into a completed home in November 2020 and lived their lives in peace</strong>.
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<div>The misconduct of the building practitioners, their legal teams, and members of the Victorian Government agencies, <strong>robbed us of irreplaceable time with their loved ones and the simple joy of being together</strong>.
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<div>To us, this loss of time, safety, health, and dignity is <strong>unforgivable</strong>.
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<div>Our <strong>health</strong> has been <strong>severely affected</strong>. The <strong>stress and trauma </strong>have been and continue to be <strong>overwhelming</strong>.
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<div>Help is needed.
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<div><strong>What did the Victoria Ombudsman say?</strong>
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<div>Complaints during 2022 and 2023 were closed. We were referred back to the VBA. 
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<div>Yes, you read correctly.
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<div>In 2026 a meeting request was accepted. During this meeting, we provided the <strong>evidence of the VBA wrongdoing</strong> and described the <strong>real-life consequences</strong>.
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<div>This is what a Senior Manager at the Ombudsman, Michael Heffernan, wrote in his letter: <em>“…we cannot identify any further steps we can take that will provide a meaningful outcome for you. As a result, </em><strong><em>we will not be taking any further action in respect of your concerns about VBA</em></strong><em>".</em>
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<div>After a review, the Ombudsman's office <strong>declined to take further action</strong> <strong>on the basis that the VBA no longer existed</strong>, notwithstanding that the complaint concerned the VBA’s historical conduct and regulatory failures.
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<div>What is wrong with these people?
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<div><strong>It is time to hold the Victorian Government accountable for the harm they caused to innocent people, like us.</strong>
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<div>Please share this page to spread the word to provide help.
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<div>Thank you.
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