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$vuetify.icons.faPhone1300 650 620

NSW President's report

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The past 12 months have marked one of the most challenging periods for NSW new home building, with commencements at historically low levels. Heading into Q2 2025, cost of living and housing supply in NSW have firmly entrenched themselves as the two most important issues for governments to respond to.

David Mann

HIA NSW President

This placed HIA in a strong position to continue advancing policy positions to boost housing supply. At the State of the Nation Event held on March 12 at NSW Parliament House, HIA released the updated research from the Center for International Economics (CIE) into the Taxation of the housing sector. This report shone a light on the astounding $576,000 worth of taxes, fees and regulatory charges that are associated with a standard home and land package in Sydney. 

That report has drawn significant attention from Government departments and media. Even the NSW Premier declared that HIA’s number is ‘inflated’. The good news is that Mr Minns is finally listening to what builders have to say! 

Despite a difficult year for building activity there have been many highlights, one of which was the 2024 Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards. The event was a tremendous success, with record-breaking entries and attendees, a testament to the outstanding dedication and excellence of our members. It was also heartening to witness a record amount raised for the HIA Charitable Foundation—$26,248. 

The NSW HIA Apprentice Awards provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate the exceptional talent emerging within our industry. A special congratulations goes to Bradley Johnson, the winner of the HIA NSW Roger Pysden Apprentice of the Year Award. In addition to this prestigious honour, Bradley was awarded $2,000 in prize money from MEGT and a scholarship to the HIA Cert IV program, further supporting his bright future in the industry.

In October, I was fortunate enough to attend the HIA Past Presidents' Luncheon. Joined by HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin and other current and past presidents, we had the opportunity to discuss the challenges currently facing the industry. It was a moment to reflect on the significant contributions made over the years. We extended our gratitude to Robert Moerman for his valuable service on the NSW Regional Executive Committee as he stepped down. Additionally, we congratulated Graham Walker, who was awarded HIA Life Membership in recognition of his exceptional commitment to both HIA and the NSW residential building industry. Graham's decades of service, including stints as NSW HIA President and a HIA National Board Director, make him a deserving recipient of this prestigious honour.

HIA members also played a pivotal role in providing feedback for the NSW Productivity Commissioner’s "Review of Housing Supply Challenges and Policy Options for New South Wales." Following these discussions, it was encouraging to see that the final report addressed many of the concerns raised by our members.

Throughout the year, the HIA policy team remained proactive in its efforts, securing several key advocacy wins, including:

  • Delaying the introduction of the new Home Building Act and successfully advocating for a longer consultation period to allow the industry time to adjust to the new laws and regulations.
  • Squashing several contentious proposals under the Home Building Act Review, such as mandating set progress payment stages and restricting how much can be claimed at each stage.
  • Successfully lobbying for the new Home Building Act to remove the requirement that residential building contracts for work over $20,000 include the cost of insurance under HBCF and,
  • Securing a transition period for contracts entered into before 31 December 2023 that involved engineered stone.
  • Continuing success with advocacy for improvements to complying development with further rounds of Codes SEPP housekeeping amendments made in November 2024.

As 2024 came to a close, we said farewell to David Bare, former NSW Executive Director. After a significant 15-year career with HIA, David's influence in government and respect among our members have been invaluable. He navigated the complex challenges of the industry with balance and expertise.

HIA NSW continues to provide outstanding, products and services to builders and has again firmly established itself as the leading voice on Housing in NSW.

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