‘Not in my domain’: Commissioner powerless to help woman at centre of Sydney defects debacle

A Sydney woman has been told there is nothing the NSW Building Commissioner can do to help recover her life savings after she bought into a 300-apartment tower that had alleged major defects, despite him reportedly saying an investigation is “likely” to uphold her concerns.

It comes as the Herald can reveal a sharp decline in fines being handed out to private certifiers for signing off on dodgy buildings in the last 10 months, since the board responsible for policing them was abolished.

The changes were part of an overhaul of the industry following evacuations of the cracked Opal and Mascot Towers, which saw David Chandler appointed NSW building commissioner.