The collapse of four prominent Canberra-based building companies this year has left subcontractors in dire straits, collectively owed millions of dollars. 

Many subcontractors in Canberra say they are struggling to navigate the aftermath of these collapses, and risk going under themselves. 

Despite Canberra's appearance of a construction boom, with new suburbs and major infrastructure projects underway, the underlying financial instability has prompted subcontractors to campaign for better industry regulations. 

The fight is being taken to federal politicians, where subcontractors are advocating for the implementation of more robust safeguards, who often find themselves at the bottom of the industry's hierarchy.

A Senate inquiry into insolvency in the Australian construction industry in 2015 and the subsequent review of Australia's security of payment laws in 2017 offered recommendations to tackle the culture of non-payment. However, the slow pace of change has left many questioning why more cannot be done to protect those most vulnerable.

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