Building Equality Policy: Defined terms

Defined terms

Apprentice

Apprentice under the Building Equality Policy has the same meaning as Apprentice under the Major Project Skills Guarantee, as amended from time to time. 
Apprentices count towards Action 1 and Action 2 targets. 

Cadet

Cadet under the Building Equality Policy has the same meaning as Cadet under the Major Project Skills Guarantee, as amended from time to time. 
Cadets count towards Action 1 and Action 2 targets.

Contract Manager

The person nominated in the contract as responsible for managing the day-to-day matters of the contract on behalf of the government buyer.

Contractor 

An individual or organisation bound to perform Works or Construction Services under an agreement that results from Public Construction Procurement, that is subject to the Ministerial Directions.

Gender Equality Action Plan

Gender Equality Action Plan is a plan which requires Contractors to gather data for each indicator and implement strategies to address gender inequality. The data collected through this process will serve as a baseline for improving gender equality within an organisation and during project delivery.

Industrial Relations Victoria

Industrial Relations Victoria (Department of Treasury and Finance) is the policy owner. It is responsible for policy oversight, evaluation, and any revisions made to the policy. 

Management / supervisory and specialist labour (staff)

Staff engaged by the Contractor and subcontractors to perform work in these positions directly related to the project delivery. 

For a complete list of positions, see Industry Capability Network.

Non-trade construction general on-site award covered labour

Trainees and ancillary workers engaged by the Contractor and subcontractors to support the delivery of the project.

For a complete list of positions, see Industry Capability Network.

Offsite

Hours spent offsite that are directly related to the project delivery. This includes work that is conducted away from the construction site by the contractor and subcontractors to deliver inputs to a project. Hours spent offsite contribute to Action 1 and Action 2.

Organisation wide

Organisation Wide, in the context of Gender Equality Action Plans, relates to the entity or entities responsible for performing or sub-contracting the construction works included within the scope of the tender and is limited to workers based in Australia.

To provide data for the Organisation Wide Gender Equality Action Plan, tenderers have the option of providing Victorian or national figures (or if in another state, considered to be operating nationally).

Position

A description of the specific day-to-day activities of an employee and may differ from a position title which can be unique to an organisation.

A standardised list of positions has been developed using the Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations. 

For a complete list of positions, see Industry Capability Network.

Project monitoring to support compliance

Agencies: 

• Buyers are responsible for implementing the policy once a contract has been executed. Once a project starts, contract managers must ensure that contractors meet and report on the policy commitments.

Contractors:

• Contractors must comply with the policy commitments outlined in their contract.

Compliance and monitoring expectations are outlined below in Table 1.

Table 1: Compliance and Monitoring

Social Procurement Framework

Victoria's Social Procurement Framework published 26 April 2018 by the Victorian Government, as amended from time to time.

Staged approach to non-compliance

From 1 July 2024, non-compliance will be managed using a staged approach. Compliance arrangements will be identified in the request for tender documentation and form part of the contract. Model contract clauses will be available before the end of the transitional compliance period, see Staged approach to non-compliance.

Total estimated hours of work 

Total estimated hours of work has the same meaning as Total Estimated Labour Hours for Major Project Skills Guarantee. It is an estimate of the number of labour hours required to complete the construction works and construction services for the project, as determined by the Contractor.

Trade covered labour

Means building or construction qualified trades and apprentices engaged by the Contractor or subcontractors to perform work under the Contract.

For a complete list of positions, see Industry Capability Network.

Transitional compliance period 

Until 30 June 2024, a contractor’s non-compliance with the policy requirements outlined in their contract does not represent a breach of contract. This is referred to as the Transitional compliance period. From 1 July 2024 non-compliance for eligible projects will be managed using a staged approach (see Staged approach to non-compliance).

Trainee

Trainee under the Building Equality Policy has the same meaning as Trainee under the Major Project Skills Guarantee, as amended from time to time. 
Trainees count towards Action 1 and Action 2 targets.

Work package

Work package is used to define and group different parts of a project in a way that helps organise and define the overall project.

Workplace Gender Equality Indicators

Workplace Gender Equality Indicators represent the key areas where workplace gender inequality persists and where progress towards gender equality must be demonstrated. The indicators are the same as those established in the Gender Equality Act 2020. 

Help and support

For information or support about the Building Equality Policy contact, Industrial Relations Victoria.