The Federal Government is looking for ways to improve the operation of the Building Code.

The government has released a discussion paper that it says aims to improve fairness, efficiency, safety and productivity and sets higher standards of conduct for businesses that wish to carry out work on Commonwealth-funded building and construction projects.

The paper outlines potential changes including measures to “prevent multiple secondary/environmental boycott demands and behaviour”.

It also proposes ways to “reduce unlawful activity” by unions, reduce red tape, improve safety on building sites and boost productivity, jobs and workplace co-operation.

The paper says fatalities in the industry are falling, but warns that safety remains “a key concern and focus” of the government as “every death on a building and construction site is a tragedy”.

In 2015, the Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union was fined $1 million for a secondary boycott of concrete supplier Boral, which was targeted as part of an industrial dispute with builder Grocon.

The review documents are accessible here.