Complaints about defective dwellings and inept builders now number about 350 each year, nearly double what they were in 2009, and resolving these fairly and equitably can be a time-consuming, expensive and emotionally draining process. Releasing a building reforms discussion paper on Monday, Planning Minister Mick Gentleman said the government was "looking for reforms and ways to encourage improvements in the industry, including how better information and education can help us all avoid current issues, especially those in residential buildings". Areas flagged for possible reform include industry oversight and works inspection (including the revival of government-appointed inspectors) the licensing and accreditation of builders and certifiers, and residential building contractors themselves so that all parties "are clear about processes and the dispute resolution process if things go wrong".

Quality control issues are no more or less urgent in the building industry than they are anywhere else. But the surge of apartment-building in Canberra, much of it built down to a price, has widened the impact of substandard building work considerably. Another driver is the growing complexity of the materials and systems incorporated into such dwellings.

Disputes between developers and apartment owners (mainly regarding leaks and waterproofing but also masonry cracks and structural-steel corrosion) are taking up more court and tribunal time, with arguments frequently revolving around the issue of whether the action against the developer/builder was brought within the 10-year limitation period or not.

The notion that unscrupulous developer/builders are largely to blame for these defects is a popular one. The lengths to which some go to avoid liability, including winding up companies and transferring their assets to new entities, adds weight to that theory. One school of thought has it that the real rot began when the government building inspection regime was abandoned in favour of a system of "independent" certification. The ease with which licenses can be obtained has also been cited as a factor in the rise of slip-shod building.

Politicians believed that cost savings justified abandoning the old taxpayer-funded building inspection system and steering the industry towards greater self-regulation. But implicit in that shift was the recognition that overall standards had to be rigorously maintained. Arguably they have not. And in the case of imported substandard building materials, the failure has been epic.

Governments have not retreated from their oversight obligations so much as failed to keep pace with design and materials change and the swing to large-scale apartment construction. This discussion paper offers a welcome opportunity for the major players to confront their failures and to take steps to remedy matters.