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Category: Building and Construction / Industry / Business, Economics and Finance / Death / Community and Society

Builder loses more licences after Eagle Farm deaths

Tuesday, 21 Mar 2017 09:15:32 | Alexandra Blucher

Claudio D'Alessandro was charged with two counts of manslaughter in November last year. (Facebook)

Queensland's construction watchdog has revoked three licences, including concreting, joinery and carpentry, that had been granted to a builder facing charges over the deaths of two workers.

For the second time in four days the Queensland Building and Corruption Commission cancelled licences issued to Claudio D'Alessandro, following inquiries from the ABC.

His building licence was cancelled last Friday.

"I think it is just bloody slackness on behalf of the QBCC … it was great to see the building licence was cancelled but leaving the doors open with the other ones is gross mismanagement on behalf of the QBCC," said Andrew Ramsay from the CFMEU.

Eagle Farm Racecourse construction site from above Photo: The men were working on a multi-million-dollar development of infield stables. (ABC News)

D'Alessandro is charged with the manslaughter of construction workers Ashley Pengana Morris and Humberto Ferraira Leite, who were crushed by a 10-tonne concrete wall at Brisbane's Eagle Farm racecourse last October.

The builder was charged in November, with police alleging negligence on the worksite led to the deaths.

D'Alessandro was granted a new building licence on Thursday last week.

The next day, the ABC contacted the Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni's office, which ordered a review of the decision.

Within an hour, the QBCC commissioner, Brett Bassett had revoked D'Alessandro's building licence.

But the builder had also been granted new joinery, carpentry and concreting licences which were not repealed at the same time.

Yesterday, the ABC asked the QBCC about the rationale behind not repealing the other licences and within hours they had also been revoked.

"Given that a 'builder-open' licence allows a licence holder to supervise a wide range of building works including supervising a wide range of other trades, [I] gave urgency and priority to the consideration of that licence last week," Mr Bassett said.

He said the decision to repeal a licence was "legally required" to be taken by him personally and he was in "a position to deal with the lesser licences" on Monday.

The commissioner is yet to answer specific questions about whether he knew about the others when he cancelled the building licence on Friday, and, if so, why they were not repealed at the same time.

Mr de Brenni last Friday demanded an investigation into how D'Alessandro had been granted a new building licence and said he would make any necessary reforms.

"I think it's important that the Commissioner take his decisions with appropriate care and diligence" he said.

The CFMEU's Andrew Ramsay said all of the licences should have been cancelled at the same time, and has called on the minister to take immediate action.

"Minister de Brenni needs to have a broom go through that joint and clean out the dead wood that's not actually picking up on these things," Mr Ramsay said.

About a month after the incident, the QBCC suspended D'Alessandro's building licence, not over the deaths but due to alleged unpaid debts.

The builder's lawyer, Michael Purcell said D'Alessandro declined to comment but previously said he would fight the charges.

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