‘You’re creating conversation about elements that are a challenge either for members or the industry itself, then finding a logical solution,’ he says. ‘It's being part of that to help smaller businesses flourish and do better or actually grow to become bigger businesses.’

Brent considers the disconnect between the National Construction Code and planning regulations to be one of the biggest issues. ‘I am acutely conscious of where complex and ineffective regulation is adding unnecessary cost to the industry’s capacity to deliver affordable homes,’ he says.

‘That's where my fine-tuning has been in that space, where the dwelling meets the land and how we can fine-tune that. Once you get that right, you actually save the consumer money.’

At a more individual level, Brent attributes much of his professional success to his involvement with HIA. ‘If I'd had known what the benefit would be to my career within the industry, I would've become a HIA member when I was 19 years old,’ he says.

‘Being a member, you’re connected to other members and the industry, plus HIA’s information. This accelerates your learning and gives you a broad knowledge, as well as networking opportunities. You know who to contact if you have a situation and vice versa.’

While retirement may be on the horizon, it’s not a terribly appealing prospect for Brent. As one of those people who ‘can’t sit still’, he has much to do in terms of helping to reform legislation and streamline the process of getting a house out of the ground.

‘What I'm excited about for the future is engaging with government to understand how we can get rid of ridiculous legislation that puts barriers in the way of creating the housing that is needed. So we could knuckle down and start building more than 35,000 dwellings a year in Queensland and start to hit our 50,000 mark.’

First published on 6 Nov 2025.