ABWA

Senate Enquiry - Related Issues

Reform of Australian Standards are required via further CSIRO research which needs to be independent of manufacturers as all research at the moment is motherly research, with no consumer protection, all the faults are continually covered up by the Housing Industry Association and Master Builders Association and manufacturers who have successfully blamed tradesmen and builders Tasmanian Attorney General letter in reply to letters sent to all State Governments confirmed that the myth of builders and tradesmen were to blame for faults. This is not a reflection of the State Governments, but a confirmation that the mendacious propaganda is deceiving all in authority, and is complete fraud by manufacturers.

The Building Code of Australia, despite having funds available, does not support independent research and is only a rubber stamp for imperfect standards. All codes follow Australian Standards. Application to BCA to become involved in Research and development was rejected. All aspects of products and procedures will be researched and funded by Keith Atkins Bathrooms, in the latter half of 2008 and in 2009.

Building Research will be at the CSIRO Highett, Melbourne, Victoria, and at CSIRO North Ryde also at the Water Research laboratories at Manly Vale, Sydney. University of N.S.W. and N.S.W. Department of Commerce facilities are excellent for the water testing requirement of the research and development.

Key problem areas such as waterproofing, tiles and tile adhesives are explained in the "Bathroom Book" Standards Australia, with the "Bathroom Book" available from Standards Australia offices in every state.

MBA and HIA propaganda has destroyed the credibility of the bathroom book.
Unrelenting defamation by the Master Builders Association particularly General Manager Brian Siedler, and 6 co-authors of the Master Builders Association waterproofing manual. Technical and Further Education Principal Colin Cass has caused total industry confusion and has misrepresented many products and procedures, especially tile fixing procedures and waterproofing products.

Unfortunately for Colin Cass not one of the waterproofing paints and procedures promoted at TAFE has been a success, not only do they not work in showers recesses but the paints do not have strength required in planter boxes to resist being penetrated by plant roots. The frustration of Colin Cass and Brian Siedler promoting the wrong products is reflected in the harassment and lock out aimed at me, at Standards Australia, and also at my local MBA at Dee Why. The Forest Lodge Head Office of MBA has moved to alienate me at my local Dee Why branch and at Standards Australia where I have been completely defamed by both the MBA and HIA.

The MBA continues to be in denial of mistakes made in product promotion.

Many lifelong friendships have been formed at the Manly Warringah MBA over a 30 year period of membership and continue both on a business and social outing level.

Many of the original members actually built the substantial premises at Dee Why and are currently being targeted by Leigh Hammond and Brian Siedler in an effort to remove them from the club.

The Chinese building industry have rejected acrylic and polyurethane products for waterproofing in shower recesses, further damaging the image of Australian Building Products.


The Bathroom Book is small in size by virtue of restriction by vested interests including James Hardie CSR, Master Builders Association, Housing Industry Association and Tile Adhesive Manufacturers DAVCO and ABA. All reasons for restriction have now been exposed by multiple failures in the vested interest procedures. An attempt was made by the MBA and HIA to have the Bathroom Book withdrawn from sale (DAS).

The MBA, HIA, and adhesives manufacturers totally restricted media coverage of the "Bathroom Book" in particular a filmed segment for "Our House" Channel 9 Sydney November 1999, this involved one full day of filming, I was interviewed by Rebecca Gilling, one of the main presenters on the programme. Tim Cobbin was the executive producer, and expressed frustration at not being able to air the segment.

Aldo Susta, representing an adhesives/ waterproofing manufacturer, who marketed the roofing membrane, (now used widely in the industry), succeeded in cancelling the segment because the profit margin from the roofing membrane was 500% less than the equivalent acrylic or polyurethane water resistant paints, all products were sold by Aldo's company.

A successful segment aired on NBN 3 Newcastle detailing the use of roofing membranes as a waterproofing solution in bathrooms. In 1999 a bathroom expo in Newcastle was stopped by vested interests.

Despite many attempts at a new edition of The Bathroom Book vested interests have continually blocked its publication since 2000 when a 2nd edition was printed. The book and the author were vilified because of the "whistle blowing" content and incredible jealousy and defamation regarding its radical futuristic procedures, but now fully adopted by the industry. (Copied in the Master Builders Waterproofing manual 2004, without acknowledgement of "The Bathroom Book"). 20 major changes to industry bathroom procedure were included in the Bathroom Book. 4 page document (DAS).

The benefits for consumers would be a removal of confusion by architects, builders and consumers when selecting materials and procedures for building and renovating homes, if a third edition was printed. Current MBA and HIA vested interests are blocking the procedure (S46)

The need for Home Warranty insurance would be lessened. Any Home Warranty Insurance if implemented should have a heavy bounty on developer's projects. At present corruption has allowed developers to avoid home warranty insurance. Major problems with leaking showers in the development of high rise apartments. Leaking shower recesses are now the Number 1 building industry problem in all states of Australia.

Developers, MBA, HIA have had a callous disregard of builders, breaching their basic human rights with serious breaches of the Trade Practices Act. Corrupt benefactors from the insurance Industry supplied millions of dollars in slush funds for the Federal or State Labour parties to silence any worthwhile action to instigate consumer protection and to disallow collaboration with equally corrupt Developers. (Parliament should be freed from this influence)

That this rampant narcissism sanctioned by fellow Australians, is a national disgrace, those involved cannot be shamed as narcissists as in their ruthlessness they cannot even see that their mendacious lethal theft is anything to be accounted for i.e. Rodney Adler and co-conspirators, the MBA, have caused a disaster of monumental proportions.

Rodney Adler (FAI Insurance) infamously stated that he had not hurt anyone. The MBA collaborated with Rodney Adler in the destruction of the Building Industry with no remorse and no compassion for their fellow Australians and qualified builder members of the MBA. He was recently released from gaol and is totally unrepentant.

The asset stripping of Ansett Airlines resulted in the suicide of 30 men and women from a total staff 16,500. Affected builders and tradesmen would number 200,000 Australia wide. A total number of suicides would be difficult to determine exactly, but the extent of suicides of builders would be close to 100.

The deception and litany of lies told by MBA and HIA to protect their vested interests in HWI and which include corrupt manufacturers and insurance companies is in total conflict with their advertised position of trust and duty of care to builders, tradesmen and consumers.

Full conflict of interest insurance with zero benefit to the Building Industry or consumers. The MBA and HIA are currently encouraging HWI be payable for all tradesmen, as well as the current HWI for builders, this imposition would be counter productive and another unnecessary building industry cost.

ACCC Despite written application on corruption regarding HWI no action was taken by the ACCC.

ICAC Despite two applications regarding corruption no action taken by ICAC. 12th August 2004 reference EO4/ 1712
1st September 2004 reference EO4/ 1835
Further investigation needs to start.

ASIC Small corporations have been deregistered for minor infringements of company law.

MBA and HIA have taken part in the lethal theft of consumers rights causing many to lose thousands of dollars. No action taken against MBA or HIA by ASIC or ACCC or ICAC.