The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) has made a fee relief scheme available for building practitioners and plumbers who have experienced financial hardship due to the impacts of COVID-19.
Under the fee relief scheme, eligible building practitioners will be exempt from paying application and renewal fees, and the annual fees associated with maintaining their registration.
Plumbers hit hard by the impacts of COVID-19 can also apply for exemptions from application, accreditation and examination fees, as well as fees associated with registration and licensing.
VBA CEO, Sue Eddy said construction is critical to the state’s economic recovery from coronavirus.
“We’re taking this step to support those boots on the ground that will literally build our way out of these challenging times,” Ms Eddy said.
The relief scheme is directed at the fees most relevant to building practitioners and plumbers obtaining or maintaining their licence or registration as a practitioner.
The amount building practitioners and plumbers can save will depend on their type of registration or licence they have, but plumbers will save up to $357 while building practitioners could save up to $985.
“Like so many industries, the building and construction industry has been hit hard by coronavirus – by waving these fees, we’re making sure building and plumbing practitioners get the support they need,” Ms Eddy commented.
To be eligible for the fee relief, building practitioners must be on JobKeeper or JobSeeker, while plumbers also receiving these hardship payments are also eligible to apply.
“With builders and plumbers having their opportunities to work limited because of coronavirus, it’s only fair we offer relief from these fees.”
“We’re doing everything we can to support builders and plumbers through these unprecedented times,” Ms Eddy said.
The relief scheme will be available until 30 June 2021.
