Housing industry insights
Advocacy & policy
News & inspiration
Support & guidance
Member perks
Industry insurance
For your business
Apprentices
Building it right
Building materials & products
Managing your business
Managing your safety
Building your business
Other subjects
A rewarding career
Study with us
A job in the industry
Grow with us
Our podcasts
Our initiatives
Get involved
Awards
Awards winners
Industry events
Most popular products
Top categories
For your business
{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change location {{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.text}} {{region}} Change location{{propApi.title}}
{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationTradies essential to deliver Queensland homes
Tradies essential to deliver Queensland homes
Member and guest login
Enter your email and password to access secured content, members only resources and discount prices.
Did you become a member online? If not, you will need to activate your account to login.
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
Forgotten password
Need some help?
If you are having problems logging in, please call HIA helpdesk on 1300 650 620 during business hours.
If the email address you have entered is registered, you will receive an email with further instructions.
Become part of the HIA community
Enables quick and easy registration for future events or learning and grants access to expert advice and valuable resources.
Create a guest account
Enter your details below and create a login
Send me exclusive tips, early access to new launches, and special offers. I can change my mind at any time.
By clicking Get started now you agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy.
Australia’s Future is Built by Tradies warns Australia’s residential building industry is already around 83,000 skilled workers short — a shortage being felt strongly in Queensland as the state enters a sustained construction super-cycle.
HIA Queensland Executive Director Mike Roberts said Queensland’s pipeline of work is significant, with strong activity projected through to 2031–32 due to population growth, the energy transition, the 2032 Games and the arrival of new data centres.
“This isn’t a short-term upswing — Queensland is in a prolonged construction super-cycle that will run well into the early 2030s,” Mr Roberts said.
“Queensland needs more homes, but ultimately, we need the people to build them.
“Everyone is looking for electricians, carpenters, roofers and other skilled tradespeople, but industry is drawing from the same limited workforce.
“For housing delivery, that matters. When builders cannot find the workers they need, homes take longer to complete, costs rise and getting more keys into the hands of homebuyers becomes harder.”
The HIA report calls for governments to elevate trade careers, improve apprenticeship attraction and completion, strengthen school-to-trade pathways, support the small businesses that employ apprentices and expand overall workforce capacity.
It also calls for greater regional training opportunities, strategic skilled migration where shortages cannot be filled locally, and improved recognition of overseas trade qualifications.
Mr Roberts said the solution must start with changing how trade careers are presented to young Australians.
“University will remain the right choice for many, but an apprenticeship should never be treated as the second-best option.
“Tradies can earn while they learn, develop skills that will remain in demand and build genuine pathways to running their own business," said Mr Roberts.
“Technology can help design a home, prepare an estimate or manage a project. It still cannot turn up on site and build the house.
“If Queensland wants to build more homes, we need to train, attract and back more tradies.”
For more information please contact:
HIA Victoria not failing housing targets as badly as others is not success
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says the Victorian results in the HIA National Housing Accord Update released yesterday, while not as poor as some other states, highlight the urgent need for a reset in housing policy after the upcoming state election.
HIA Safety Summit headlines National Safe Work Month
HIA’s annual Safety Summit is being held today in Adelaide (8 October) and will bring together industry leaders, regulators and workplace safety experts, providing practical guidance to help residential builders and tradies create safer worksites and support compliance in an ever-changing world.
ATO payment change adds mounting pressure on home builders
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) is calling on the Australian Taxation Office and Federal Government to reverse the decision to cease accepting credit card payments from 30 November, warning the change needs to be viewed against the cumulative financial pressure already confronting residential building businesses.
Housing targets remain as important as ever
“Housing commencements rose in the year to June 2026, but the latest data reflects yesterday's market, not the conditions facing builders today,” stated HIA Executive Director Victoria, Keith Ryan.