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$vuetify.icons.faPhone1300 650 620

Victoria’s Housing Statement progress: we need more builders

Media release

Victoria’s Housing Statement progress: we need more builders

Media release
“The Victorian government’s Housing Statement is approaching its two-year anniversary. Since that time the Victorian government has implemented some positive reforms, but it is becoming clear that we will not have enough people to build these homes as quickly as we need,” stated HIA Executive Director Victoria, Keith Ryan.

“Many of the measures included in the Housing Statement released two years ago by the then Premier, Daniel Andrews, are strategic and focus on the planning system. However, a significant gap in the Housing Statement has always been the lack of recognition of the people who will build these new homes.  

“This includes not only the trades such as carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, but the builders who manage these jobs and are responsible to consumers for the building work.  

“The massive shortage of labour, and especially trades, has been well recognised in recent years. We need an additional 83,000 workers in Australia just to have a chance of meeting the Australian government’s target to build 1.2 million new homes by mid-2029.

“What has not been so recognised is the growing shortage of home builders. In recent years the number of registered builders has been relatively stagnant, and the number of new builder registration applications has declined. HIA has good reason to believe that about two thirds of currently registered builders are not actively building now. 

“HIA in recent years has been contacted by many builders who have left the home building industry. They are not going broke. They are leaving because they find the task of managing a home building business too difficult and stressful.  

“They are leaving because they believe that governments do not value them and their work. 

“They are leaving because they expect not to be able to secure enough domestic building insurance cover to be able to maintain their existing business, let alone grow their business.  

“And they are leaving because they feel that governments believe that builders being paid for their completed work is optional. 

“Ultimately the ambitions of the Housing Statement can only be achieved if we have enough trades and builders to build these new homes. It is time for the government to accept that reality,” concluded Mr Ryan.

The Housing Statement target will not be met - Vic

Source: HIA

For more information please contact:

Keith Ryan

Executive Director - Victoria
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