Parliament expires on 3 November and every unpassed Bill lapses with it. The big building changes got through first, including a much tougher reckless endangerment offence added in the final sitting weeks. The vote on 28 November decides the rest.
Victoria’s 60th Parliament expires on 3 November, and the Parliament of Victoria says any legislation not passed by then will lapse. Polling day is Saturday 28 November, the Victorian Electoral Commission says.
For builders, the big changes are already locked in. The core building reforms received Royal Assent before Parliament rose, so changing them after 28 November would take new legislation.
What the vote decides is narrower: gas in new homes, how fast land tax relief comes, tolls on trade vehicles, apprentice training costs and payroll tax. And the all electric rule for new homes, already made in regulations, starts on 1 January 2027, about five weeks after polling day.
The core building reforms are already law, whoever wins
The Victorian legislation register lists these Acts as passed and signed off:
- The Building and Plumbing Administration and Enforcement Act 2026, creating the Building and Plumbing Commission (assent 19 May 2026).
- The Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Act 2025 (assent 3 June 2025).
- The Building Legislation Amendment (Fairer Payments on Jobsites and Other Matters) Act 2025, the security of payment overhaul (assent 13 November 2025).
- The Consumer Legislation Amendment Act 2026 (assent 8 September 2026). It brings in the undocumented variations offence and the new prefabrication category, and forces the domestic building contracts rewrite to start by 31 March 2027.
- The apprentice employer licence Act (assent 15 September 2026). Opposition amendments to make the licence free and last three years were not agreed.
The opposition tried to hold up the commission Bill with reasoned amendments in both Houses, until the industry had been properly consulted. It moved one on the buyer protection Bill too, to hold it until the contracts consultation and reforms were released.
All were defeated. We found no published Coalition commitment on keeping, changing or repealing either regime.
For builders, the big changes are already locked in.
Reckless endangerment penalties jump by September 2027 at the latest
In the upper house, the government added a new part to a workers’ compensation Bill, now the Workplace Legislation Amendment (Accident Compensation and Other Matters) Act 2026 (assent 1 October). It replaces section 32 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, the reckless endangerment offence. It starts on a date the government proclaims, or on 10 September 2027 at the latest.
The maximum penalties go up sharply. The current section 32 and the new section compare like this:
Maximum penalty for reckless endangerment
| Now | New section (by 10 Sep 2027) | |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | 1,800 penalty units (about $376,000) or 5 years’ jail, or both | 10,000 penalty units (about $2.09 million) or 10 years’ jail, or both |
| Company | 20,000 penalty units (about $4.18 million) | 50,000 penalty units (about $10.46 million) |
The dollar figures use this financial year’s penalty unit value of $209.10. The value resets each July, so they’re a guide only.
Once it starts, the offence will also cover placing someone in danger of “serious injury, serious illness or death”, and a new subsection will cover reckless breaches of the general duties.
The same Act gives health and safety representatives and union authorised representatives an express power to inspect and copy workplace documents. Threatening, intimidating or coercing people over those roles becomes an offence, with a maximum of 500 penalty units for an individual and 2,500 for a company.
These parts start on the same terms. On 22 September the upper house, in committee, voted down an opposition motion to move the new representative powers into a separate Bill.
Three Bills that matter to builders are set to lapse on 3 November
All three are stuck in the upper house.
Work from home. The work from home Bill passed the lower house unamended on 30 July. On 10 September the upper house agreed to a motion from Jeff Bourman (Shooters, Fishers and Farmers) sending it to a select committee and putting debate on hold until the committee reports. The report was due by 20 October. The Bill record shows no upper house action since.
Gas. The Domestic Gas Choice (Repeal of Gas Appliance Ban) Bill 2026 from the Opposition’s David Davis would revoke the planning ban on gas connections for new homes and repeal the Building Act powers used to make gas rules. But the all electric rule for new homes sits in regulations made under existing powers, so the rule stays in place when the Bill lapses.
Associations. The Associations Incorporation Reform Amendment Bill 2026 passed the lower house on 27 August. It would let the Registrar refuse or wind up associations that have an “industrial relations purpose” (unless exempted by regulation), or that are listed terrorist organisations or prohibited hate groups. A Coalition release says the Bill should be withdrawn and replaced with a narrower one dealing only with extremist groups.
Labor and the Coalition differ on gas, land tax, tolls, apprentices and payroll tax
These are election promises, not law.
Gas. The Coalition’s energy release says it would overturn the gas connection ban for new homes and businesses.
Land tax. Both sides commit to restoring the $300,000 threshold. Labor would phase it in over six years from 2027/28. A Nationals release says the threshold would be restored progressively and gives no timetable.
Labor has also committed to a review of the Absentee Owner Surcharge.
Tolls. Labor’s toll cap is $30 a week from 1 January 2027, paid as a quarterly rebate, for individuals and for small businesses on up to five vehicles, including cars, motorbikes, and utes and vans under 4.5 tonnes. Labor costs this one year commitment at $191 million.
The Coalition’s $50 a week toll cap runs for two years from 1 July 2027, covering cars, light commercial vehicles and small business fleets of up to five vehicles. It is also paid as a quarterly rebate. The release gives no cost.
Apprentices. The Coalition’s release says it would set up an Accelerating Apprenticeship Fund covering half of off the job training costs for priority occupations including carpenters, plumbers and electricians, at $115 million over four years. The Nationals also promise 10 technical colleges for 5,000 secondary students, and put their apprenticeship plan at $337 million over eight years.
Payroll tax. A Nationals release says the party would lift the threshold to $1.2 million by 2028/29 and cut the metropolitan rate to 4.8 per cent from 2030/31.
Work from home. Labor’s policy page commits to making working from home a legal right for at least two days a week. It does not say whether the stalled Bill would return unchanged.
A royal commission into major construction projects is under way
The Royal Commission into the Integrity of Major Public and Civil Infrastructure Construction Projects in Victoria was established on 20 August 2026, with the Hon Christopher Kourakis AC as Commissioner. It held its opening hearing on 23 September and is due to report by 20 August 2027, or a later date agreed with the Premier.
What’s settled and what’s still on the ballot
The commission, the buyer protections, the security of payment changes, the contracts rewrite and the apprentice licence are law, whoever wins. The all electric rule starts on 1 January 2027, and the tougher reckless endangerment penalties start by September 2027 at the latest.
What’s genuinely on the ballot for builders is the cost side of the business: gas in new homes, land tax, tolls, apprentice training and payroll tax. Those are the commitments to watch as polling day gets closer.
We’ll keep tracking what each side commits to on building before polling day. Follow us for updates, and get in touch if there’s a promise you want us to look into.
Definition: penalty unitVictorian laws set fines in penalty units. The dollar value is indexed each year: $209.10 for 2026/27, as specified in Special Gazette S234 of 5 May 2026 and published by the Department of Treasury and Finance.
Frequently asked questions
Polling day is Saturday 28 November 2026. The current Parliament expires on 3 November, and any Bill not passed by then lapses.
It is created by an Act that received assent on 19 May 2026. Undoing it would need new legislation. We have found no published Coalition commitment either way.
On a date set by proclamation, or on 10 September 2027 if no earlier date is proclaimed.
It is set to lapse when Parliament expires on 3 November. Whoever forms government after 28 November would need to introduce a Bill again in the new Parliament.
No. The rule sits in regulations and starts on 1 January 2027. The Coalition’s energy release says it would overturn the gas connection ban if elected.
Related articles
- Victoria’s Apprentice Employer Licence Has Passed Parliament but the Standards Behind It Are Still to Be Written
- Victoria’s Domestic Building Contract Reforms Move to 31 March 2027, Giving Builders Four More Months
- The Work From Home Debate Has Put a Land Tax Trap for Home Based Builders and Tradies Back in the Spotlight
- Calls for a Royal Commission Into Victoria’s Big Build Are Growing. Where the Claims Stand
- WorkSafe Cracks Down on Construction Safety as Prosecutions Surge
Last updated: 21 October 2026. Bill status as recorded on the Victorian legislation register at 21 October 2026.
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