By Kim Puxty, CEO, Building Service Contractors Association of Australia
October has been a defining month for Australia's building services sector. In the space of 10 days, the Building Service Contractors Association of Australia (BSCAA) — the national peak body for the cleaning, security, facilities management, and grounds maintenance industries — brought members, partners, and industry leaders together for two events that represent what makes this industry strong: a National Networking Event in Melbourne, and the 2026 Queensland AustralianSuper Excellence Awards in Brisbane.
Connecting a nation of contractors
Australia is a vast country, and our industry is spread across it. On October 7, BSCAA hosted its National Networking Event in Melbourne, timed to coincide with the ISSA Cleaning and Hygiene Expo, where BSCAA also exhibited. Members traveled from across the country, joined by business partners, suppliers, and industry colleagues for an evening built around conversation and connection.
Contractors everywhere face similar pressures, including workforce availability, rising costs, evolving compliance, and higher client expectations. Our members also share a determination to lift standards and professionalism. Bringing people together turns common challenges into shared solutions, and the energy in the room showed how much value members place on that connection.
Celebrating excellence in Queensland
On October 16, the Lawson Ballroom at the Amora Hotel Brisbane hosted the 2026 Queensland AustralianSuper Excellence Awards. Guests gathered for a welcome reception before an awards ceremony led by Emcee Josh Norbido, recognizing the individuals and businesses setting the benchmark across the sector.
The BSCAA Excellence Awards are held state by state and exist to shine a light on work that too often goes unseen. The cleaners who keep hospitals, schools, and workplaces safe; the security professionals who protect our communities; and the facilities and grounds teams who keep our built environment running are the people whose daily efforts underpin Australian life. The finalists and winners reflect the professionalism, innovation, and pride that define our industry.
We are grateful to AustralianSuper for its continued support of the awards and to the sponsors, judges, and committee members whose commitment makes the program possible.
More to celebrate
The celebrations continue. Following the Victorian awards in June and Queensland in October, the 2026 Excellence Awards program moves on to Sydney and Adelaide, bringing the year’s awards to a close. Each event adds to a national picture of an industry that takes pride in its people and its standards.
Beyond the awards, BSCAA continues to bring the industry together through other activities, including a Demonstration Workshop in Melbourne showcasing the latest equipment and technology, alongside our ongoing work in advocacy, member services, and industry development.
Connected, celebrating and looking ahead
Together, these events showcase an industry that is resilient, connected, and proud of its people. Whether in Brisbane, Melbourne, or beyond, Australian contractors are investing in skills, embracing new technology, and lifting standards; and they are doing it together.
That unity is our greatest strength. Through BSCAA, contractors speak with one voice to government, clients, and the community; and the industry’s essential contribution is increasingly recognized. We know these are priorities shared by building service contractors around the world, and we believe the best ideas travel when we share them.
We look forward to sharing Australia’s story with our WFBSC colleagues around the world, and to learning from yours.
Kim Puxty is Chief Executive Officer of BSCAA.