Articles

Tsigereda Lovegrove, Construction and Planning Lawyer and Manager at Lovegrove & Cotton, recently joined fellow Board members of the International Building Quality Centre (IBQC) for a meeting with Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, at Government House in Canberra.

The meeting provided an opportunity to present the IBQC’s achievements since its previous report to the then Governor-General, General the Honourable David Hurley AC CVO DSC (Retd), in 2023, and to discuss the IBQC’s expanding international contribution to building regulatory reform, construction quality and public safety.

Tsigereda attended alongside Adjunct Professor Neil Savery and Professor (Adj) Robert Gordon Whittaker AM FRSN, Co-Deputy Chair of the IBQC.

The occasion was particularly significant given the IBQC’s Australian origins. Established as an international initiative in Canberra, the organisation was formally launched by General Hurley at the University of Canberra in 2020. It has since developed into a global collaboration involving leading professionals and institutions committed to improving building regulatory systems.

Presenting the IBQC’s international achievements

As the IBQC’s Founding Chair, Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove, was unable to attend due to unforeseen personal circumstances, Tsigereda delivered his prepared address to the Governor-General on his behalf.

The address reflected on the fundamental importance of effective building regulation and the responsibility of governments, regulators and construction professionals to protect those who occupy the built environment.

As Adjunct Professor Lovegrove observed:

“Every person who enters a building anywhere in the world places their trust in people they will probably never meet: those who designed it, built it, inspected it, and made the laws intended to keep it safe.”

The address emphasised that failures in building regulatory systems can have profound consequences for individuals, families and communities. The IBQC was established to contribute to the development of stronger regulatory safeguards through international cooperation, professional expertise and evidence-based reform.

The IBQC Model Building Act: a significant milestone

A central focus of the presentation was the publication of the IBQC Model Building Act in February 2026, representing one of the organisation’s most significant achievements.

The Model Building Act provides an integrated legislative framework designed to assist governments and regulatory authorities seeking to strengthen or modernise their building control systems.

Rather than treating regulatory functions as separate considerations, the framework brings together practitioner registration, building approvals, construction product safety, inspections, regulatory accountability, enforcement and dispute resolution.

Its significance lies in providing jurisdictions with a coherent legislative model that can be adapted to their respective legal, institutional and regulatory circumstances.

The publication has attracted encouraging responses from international regulatory reform specialists.

International collaboration and regulatory leadership

The presentation also acknowledged the distinguished professionals and institutions contributing to the IBQC’s work.

The IBQC’s international Board draws upon expertise in construction law, engineering, building control, public administration, judicial practice and regulatory reform.

Its members include Dame Judith Hackitt, who led the independent review of building regulations and fire safety following the Grenfell Tower tragedy; Alejandro Espinosa-Wang, Senior Economist at the World Bank; and Justice Maedot Yeshak Tesfaye of the Ethiopian Federal Court.

The organisation also benefits from the support and involvement of prominent international professional and academic institutions, including the International Code Council, the Consortium of European Building Control, University College London, the Chartered Institute of Building, the Technical University of Munich, Southern Cross University, Western Sydney University and RMIT University.

Through these professional relationships, the IBQC seeks to facilitate the exchange of regulatory expertise and develop practical resources capable of informing legislative and institutional reform internationally.

A valuable discussion with the Governor-General

The meeting provided an opportunity for the IBQC Board members to discuss the organisation’s work and the importance of effective building regulation in protecting people and communities.

Her Excellency’s experience as a former Non-Executive Director of Mirvac Group brought an informed perspective to the discussion, particularly concerning the relationship between construction industry governance, regulatory standards and public confidence.

Reflecting on the occasion, Tsigereda expressed her appreciation for the Governor-General’s gracious hospitality and thoughtful engagement with the IBQC’s work.

She also acknowledged the collective contribution of the organisation’s international Board members, collaborators and supporting institutions, whose expertise and commitment have been instrumental in advancing its objectives.

Adjunct Professor Kim Lovegrove similarly conveyed his gratitude to Her Excellency for the opportunity afforded to the IBQC Board members.

Continuing the pursuit of better building regulation

The meeting at Government House marked an important occasion in the IBQC’s development, providing an opportunity to reflect on the progress achieved since its establishment and the international relevance of its work.

With the publication of the Model Building Act, the IBQC has moved beyond identifying principles of good building regulation to producing a substantive legislative framework intended to assist governments undertaking reform.

The organisation’s continuing work reflects a recognition that building safety, regulatory accountability and construction quality are matters of international importance, requiring sustained cooperation between governments, regulators, industry professionals and academic institutions.

Lovegrove & Cotton congratulates Tsigereda Lovegrove and her fellow IBQC Board members on this significant occasion and acknowledges the IBQC’s continuing contribution to improving building regulatory standards internationally.