The former national director of conservative political campaign group Advance is among five new board appointees named in an overhaul of Queensland’s building regulator that has seen one former Labor government staffer pushed out.
Housing Minister Sam O’Connor detailed changes to the group overseeing the Queensland Building and Construction Commission on Tuesday, one day after a former LNP candidate was added to another government-appointed board.
This week’s appointments come amid a reshaping of state boards in the past 13 months, with the Crisafulli government recruiting party figures and others aligned with the LNP, and raising concerns from ex-board members, the opposition and a former conservative premier.
Advance Australia’s then national director, Gerard Benedet, said in 2019 the group spoke for mainstream Australians.Credit: Chris Hopkins
O’Connor said the currently serving QBCC chair Greg Chemelo and board member Amelia Hodge would be joined by new deputy chair Debra Robinson, along with regular members Sally Noonan, Miriam Kent, Chris Mountford and Gerard Benedet.
“Homeowners, tradies and the building industry have been very clear – they want a QBCC that’s easier to deal with, faster, more transparent and more consistent,” O’Connor said.
Loading
“This new board brings the right mix of experience to deliver the change the industry has long been calling for … [and] is an important step in shaping a regulator that supports productivity and helps make Queensland the building capital of the nation.”
Benedet led Advance between March 2018 and late 2019 after two decades volunteering and working for former federal Liberals including Tony Abbott and Brendan Nelson, and as chief of staff to state LNP figure Tim Nicholls in government and opposition.
When Benedet was helming the right-wing lobby group, Nicholls described his former staffer as “one of the best political operators in Queensland”.
