‘Gold Plated System’: Lawyer Says Queensland’s BPIC Rules Raised Costs, Stifled Competition

The decision by the newly elected centre-right Liberal-National government in Queensland to suspend the Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPIC) for major government projects has been backed by employment barrister Frank Parry KC.
The government says the decision will save taxpayers billions, while unions have raised concerns about worker safety and rights.
BPIC, introduced in 2018 for the Townsville Stadium project, sets detailed pay and conditions for construction workers.
It applied to all major state projects exceeding $100 million (US$65 million) and embeds its provisions into the tender and procurement process.
Workers are also entitled to a 5 percent annual pay rise and additional rostered days off.
Employers also need to provide union representatives on site with a useable telephone, iPad with internet access, furniture, filing cabinet, a private area, and air-conditioning.
All these costs are borne by organisations and companies working on a project, who in turn, raise the prices they charge.
Parry, also president of the H.R. Nicholls Society, described BPIC as a “gold-plated system” that benefitted a select few at the expense of broader productivity and affordability.
“BPIC imposed prescriptive requirements that added layers of complexity, limited flexibility, and increased project costs,” Parry told The Epoch Times.
He argued that its suspension will help foster competition and encourages innovation.
“Getting $100 a week for using your own phone, double time if it rains, and 300 percent for working over Easter and Christmas—it wasn’t about best practice; it was about pushing the limits of what could be squeezed from the system,” he said.
The Property Council’s Queensland Executive Director Jess Caire called the suspension a sensible step during the industry’s challenging time.
The Construction, Forestry, and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) accused the government of scapegoating construction workers and the union itself for cost overruns while overlooking systemic issues within the Department of Transport and Main Roads.
CFMEU Queensland’s Civil Construction Coordinator Dylan Howard said the government’s criticisms were theatrical and unfounded.
“It is typical of the LNP to blame construction workers and the CFMEU for infrastructure cost blowouts,” Howard said.
Responding to these concerns, Parry said, “The CFMEU’s assertion that suspending BPIC compromises safety is a blatant attempt to mislead the public. Safety regulations remain untouched. This is about removing an unfair layer that has inflated costs and stifled competition in the industry.”
“The restoration of the state Productivity Commission is critical to driving long-term reform. The Commission must focus on systemic changes to reduce over-regulation and restore competitiveness in the construction industry,” he said.
Caire believes that referring BPIC to a newly re-established Queensland Productivity Commission sends a strong message to the industry that the state is serious about productivity.
A recent report from the Business Council of Australia highlighted Australia’s slipping international competitiveness, noting that productivity growth in the last decade was the worst in six decades.
The report warned that Australia risks losing investment opportunities to countries like the United States, which introduced incentives like the Inflation Reduction Act to attract global investment.
Caire echoed these concerns, stating that Queensland’s reputation as the least productive state needs urgent attention.
“At a time where we need to deliver critical infrastructure and homes, we need to pull all available levers to shed this label,” she said.