ZEBRA AUSTRALIA’S REASON FOR BEING

Zebra Australia (ZA) is in the process of setting up a community based consumer building support network in Tasmania and thus providing a model for like groups elsewhere. Why the name Zebra, well "a zebra is a very distinctive creature but if it moves in a herd it's less likely to be preyed upon,''

Since the announcement of Zebra Australia our network has received a constant flow of letters from consumers and at this stage our collective observations and findings are:-

Many consumers are babes in the wood against the experience of builders in disputes: they hand over a family’s dreams, savings, future earnings, and welcome builders into their homes. They need to trust, want to trust. They look to membership of associations for reassurance when selecting a builder.

All too often builders’ duty of care is not taken seriously. Thus ZA believes that Govt intervention is required to protect consumers who just can’t afford to trust Associations to self regulate their industry, and who certainly can’t stand up to the resources of builders in a legal battle. The high incidence of building disputes demands attention at the highest level. ZA aims to alert consumers yet to embark on a renovation /building project to stop and look again, until consumer protection is improved.

There is no doubt that there are many good builders who also work ethically, but unfortunately many consumers are not able to discern who they are. Clearly, awards, publicity demonstrates to consumers that:
• Builders can self promote very well;
• Holding high office and memberships of industry bodies and associations simply show that the builder is interested in attending meetings yet sadly these things give no real guidance in regard to integrity.

Consumer protection has been so poor for so long that the culture of the industry is to ‘blame the victim’. Disputes are so prevalent that builders are expert at handling ill-equipped consumers. Builders start collecting protective evidence from the outset in case the consumer becomes ‘difficult’ – meanwhile the unsuspecting consumer is making them cups of tea.

Sadly, consumers have no hope of becoming experts because one building disaster is all they can ever afford in a lifetime. That’s why they need to find some collective power, and that’s why Zebra Australia has been set up. The dispute resolution process is a lame duck and it leaves far too many homebuilders and renovators in a desperate position – and typically through no fault of their own.