Tom Ingleton
Building company Buildqa Pty Ltd and its sole officer, Nicholas Artusa, are facing criminal charges and nearly $1 million in fines after allegedly carrying out illegal construction in Melbourne’s north-west.
The Victorian Building Authority (VBA) alleges Buildqa illegally built two three-storey townhouses in Attwood, exceeding the scope of a building permit issued in May 2023.
A magistrate has now granted the VBA an injunction, halting all work at the site on Tattenham Court.
According to the VBA, Buildqa ignored a stop-work order issued by a Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS) in December 2024.
The permit only allowed work on the slab steel stage, but construction had progressed to a structural framework and brickworks on the ground floor of the $650, 000 project.
If convicted, Buildqa faces fines of up to $1 million, while Artusa could be fined up to $100, 000.
The Magistrate also ordered Buildqa and the property owner to hire an independent RBS to assess compliance and identify possible remedial action.
