HIA objects to former union leader as TasBuild chair

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) has written to Attorney-General Guy Barnett to protest a new chair at TasBuild, the state’s construction long service leave scheme. It argues that the appointment of Nicole Wells, a former Fair Work Commission deputy president, leaves the fund effectively under union control. The ABC reported the dispute on 1 November 2026. The board made the appointment at its 15 October meeting.

Wells was state secretary of the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union from 2010 to 2012 and holds no union office today. Her past role is what has prompted industry worries about closeness to unions. TasBuild chief executive Mark Williams defended the process in a written statement, saying Wells was among several well-qualified applicants in a recruitment round advertised through Seek and LinkedIn. He said she has governance, industrial relations and construction experience.

HIA Tasmania executive director Benjamin Price said the appointment does not stack up. The Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI) holds a board seat and opposed it. Chief executive Colleen Reardon said the TCCI doubts the chair’s independence and has told the attorney-general.

The ABC also reported a personal link. Wells was earlier in a relationship with director Kevin Harkins, who sits for the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. Harkins stepped aside from the decision over the perceived conflict and skipped the meeting. Michael Anderson of Unions Tasmania attended as his alternate and cast two votes, which the Articles of Association permit.

Why it matters

Registered construction employers pay between 1.8 and 2.5 per cent of their weekly wages bill into TasBuild, and the money funds portable long service leave for workers. Employers who contribute and workers who draw on the fund both depend on how it is run. Price said the structure is supposed to deliver an independent chair and a board that balances employer and employee interests, and that the HIA does not see that balance now. The ABC noted the board has no women.

The ABC also reported that, under TasBuild’s rules, the seven-member board has three union and three employer representatives, who together appoint a non-voting chair. TasBuild told the ABC the rules do not require the chair to be independent of unions or employer groups, although annual reports describe the role as independent.

Related: Homes Tasmania hits $546m debt ceiling as losses mount.

The numbers

The fund holds $258 million, according to the ABC, and dates from 1998. Employers contribute 1.8 to 2.5 per cent of the weekly wages bill. The ABC said the 2026 annual report showed an 8.4 per cent return for 2025-26, down from 11 per cent a year earlier, and operating profit falling from $11 million to $2 million. It also said 2025-26 was the first year since the scheme began in which entitlement payments exceeded employer contributions.

What’s next

The HIA is pushing for a bill to reform TasBuild’s governance. Its proposal is a skills-based board chosen on merit by the minister, accountability to parliament, and treasurer sign-off on the investment strategy. Independent MP Ruth Forrest has also called for legislative reform. A spokesperson for Barnett told the ABC the government knows of industry concerns about how TasBuild operates and its outdated governance, and is looking at how to fix them.

The Australian Developer